Who else is waiting for that first egg?

[Jenny mac]

Hi, I went to let the girls out this morning the door was parcially open and had been chewd, it must be a rat, how can I stop this? Anyone else with the same problem?

 

[peastix]

Hi, I went to let the girls out this morning the door was parcially open and had been chewd, it must be a rat, how can I stop this? Anyone else with the same problem?

Unfortunately this is a problem most places on the Shore.Especially at this time of year.We have mangroves near us and sports fields with drainage ditches.Both ideal places for rats.I'm afraid I resort to poison somewhere out of reach of chooks.Be aware that if a cat or dog eats a poisoned rat they can get poisoned also. Bunnings or other hardware stores will carry the kind of bait I use. Blue with a hole in the middle. You can nail it up or thread several together inside a piece of PVC pipe.Also make sure you don't leave access to food overnight. I put my bag of feed inside a metal rubbish bin.Good Luck!

 

[mommato5chicks]

glad to know I am not the only one who dreams about their chickens  lol  but sound like I have much longer to wait then most of you, I have RIR so I am told that wont see eggs till probably late aug. 

I have 2 RIRs and 2 Delawares and a speckled Hamburg and they hatched in 2-6-15 and today 6-13-15 the RIRs both layed their first eggs and the others haven't so I'm assuming that it's fast for them to lay eggs I thought I would have to wait a full 6 months for them but nope 4 months. It's super exciting hope you have eggs by now!

 

[MrsEskew]

Me!! I can't wait for my girls to lay their first eggs. They are only 12 weeks old though so I still have a while. The only one I have that lays is a black sex link/polish mix Bantam hen (who was given to me already laying age), and I get an egg every single day from her. It's just more exciting to get to see the ones I raised myself to lay.

 

[microchick]

I don't know if you folks in Australia or New Zealand have this but here in the states you can pick up a "Tom Cat" bait holder for rats and mice. It is a black box with two holes in it approximately 2.5 inches wide that you can put stick bait like 'One Bite' in it and the box seals shut with a funny looking hooked lock. Nothing can get into it except vermin like mice and rats. Maybe you members down under have something similar. Here in America you can buy them at Ace Hardware or your local farm supply store. I have two of them in service at this time and they do the job without indangering pets and wildlife.

 

[Alqcran72]

My chicken coop

 

[peastix]

I don't know if you folks in Australia or New Zealand have this but here in the states you can pick up a "Tom Cat" bait holder for rats and mice. It is a black box with two holes in it approximately 2.5 inches wide that you can put stick bait like 'One Bite' in it and the box seals shut with a funny looking hooked lock. Nothing can get into it except vermin like mice and rats. Maybe you members down under have something similar. Here in America you can buy them at Ace Hardware or your local farm supply store. I have two of them in service at this time and they do the job without indangering pets and wildlife.

Yes we have similar.I put mine in my garden shed [fenced from the chooks] and put the baits under the firewood pile or in corners behind wood etc.We don't have other pets.

 

[2karen22]

We had a possum kill to of our girls. We have successfully killed one (emotionally charged due to the loss) and caught one in a live trap. Showed mercy and let him out far far away. We will continue to keep the trap set every night. We are going to build a new coop and inclosure.

 

[Jenny mac]

I don't know if you folks in Australia or New Zealand have this but here in the states you can pick up a "Tom Cat" bait holder for rats and mice. It is a black box with two holes in it approximately 2.5 inches wide that you can put stick bait like 'One Bite' in it and the box seals shut with a funny looking hooked lock. Nothing can get into it except vermin like mice and rats. Maybe you members down under have something similar. Here in America you can buy them at Ace Hardware or your local farm supply store. I have two of them in service at this time and they do the job without indangering pets and wildlife.

Hi, I went looking and we do have Tom Cats here, thank you.

 

[Jenny mac]

Unfortunately this is a problem most places on the Shore.Especially at this time of year.We have mangroves near us and sports fields with drainage ditches.Both ideal places for rats.I'm afraid I resort to poison somewhere out of reach of chooks.Be aware that if a cat or dog eats a poisoned rat they can get poisoned also. Bunnings or other hardware stores will carry the kind of bait I use. Blue with a hole in the middle. You can nail it up or thread several together inside a piece of PVC pipe.Also make sure you don't leave access to food overnight. I put my bag of feed inside a metal rubbish bin.Good Luck!