California - Northern

Maybe he looks like a Zombie Rat now!

Traps are not as effective because rats are very cautious about food and new things with food. It usually takes several days before they try it and when the see it catch one, they know to avoid it.

Liquid poisons do not work that way. They do not have a caution with liquid because we have not been using it long enough.

A trick for the stick bates is to use thin wire through the middle and then put the bait stick out near a track.  connect the end that does not have the bait on it to something to secure. Keep the dogs away from it if using outside.
I've heard t many horror stories about baits to be comfortable using them, people poisoning their own dogs, etc. to be comfortable using them. The neighbors cats are over here all the time, plus all the wild critters hunting at night, I'll just continue the never-ending battle of rodent control with the old methods. My vet suggested HIGH doses of vit. D but I haven't tried it yet.
 
Is anyone interested in taking in six or so chickens (one roo and the rest hens)? My kids' school (in Oakland) has had a coop for years with a flock of chickens that all of the kids adore. Unfortunately, due to construction, they are shutting down the coop. The flock is a mix--two bantams (a silkie and a frizzled something), and the rest are standard size although I don't know what breeds. They would like to find a new home for all of the chickens together if possible.

@lizgarf saw this and thought of you,,,know you don't need any further rooster drama but thought you might know someone. Hope you are well and you birds are too!
 
I've heard t many horror stories about baits to be comfortable using them, people poisoning their own dogs, etc. to be comfortable using them. The neighbors cats are over here all the time, plus all the wild critters hunting at night, I'll just continue the never-ending battle of rodent control with the old methods. My vet suggested HIGH doses of vit. D but I haven't tried it yet.

The new type III baits are Vit. D. It is very deadly to rats but not dogs. I think it is deadly for cats though.

I have a bait station that keeps the cats out of the station for the back yard. The problem is finding a bait that the rats will eat.
 
Quote: When the wing feathers come in. If it is a splash, it will feather in white with black spots.

Yesterday, as I was tending to chicken-chores, I noticed that one of the EE was jumping and rushing and generally being more pushy to the others. Is this a normal "establishing the pecking order" behavior or do I have a blossoming roo on my hands?

She is about 6 weeks old, and everyone else is either 6 or 7 weeks. In this picture, she's the one in the center.

It's dominance behavior. Both pullets and cockerels will do it, so it doesn't indicate gender. They all look like pullets anyway.

I'm so torn. My family is going on a family vacation to Hawaii, and I have until Sunday to decide if I want to go or not. One one hand...it's Hawaii! On the other, I have pretty debilitating health problems, IBS and anxiety, so I don't think I would have fun. I don't know if my dogsitter is able to take on all 3 dogs that I have right now(my dog and 2 fosters) AND the only person I know of that can take care of my chickens and chicks is my neighbor. She's willing to help, but knows nothing about caring for chickens.
Ugh. What would you guys do?
I'd go to Hawaii. Who knows when you will get the chance to go again. And your family will be there with you to help you through your anxiety and health problems. I'm sure you can train your neighbor on how to care for your chickens.
 
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The new type III baits are Vit. D. It is very deadly to rats but not dogs. I think it is deadly for cats though.

I have a bait station that keeps the cats out of the station for the back yard. The problem is finding a bait that the rats will eat.
Its just one of those TomKat refillable stations the snap traps are baited with PB. The glue boards are the rat strenght ones and were put down in the are between the wire and the fence where rodents like to run.
 
Well the glue boards got one last night. All the baited snap traps got were ants. No evidence that the block bait was touched. But one rat down is better than none.
All I ever caught with glue boards was rat hair

Quote: I have seen and hear those stories. It was a very common reason for visits when I was a Vet Tech. Some you could save...some you could not. My own dog got into some snail bait someone else had put out. Fortunately I recoganized the symptoms and got her in right away. Also very fortunate for me that, since i worked there, I only had to pay for material costs.

Quote:
I'm telling ya...the electronic traps are the way to go!. They are pricey but well worth the money. We have 2 now. I keep one near the finches and move the other around as needed. One set of 4 D batteries will kill a ton of rats/mice. I had been hearing chewing around my big Rubbermaid storage container I keep chicken feed in and then one day saw a very well-fed mouse make a run for it when I opened it a couple of days ago. It had chewed a big hole on one corner. I cleared out a space at the back near the hole, put a little penut butter thre the holes in the back of the trap, set it in place and flipped the switch. Next morning...a well-fed DEAD mouse. I have cought more rat/smice with that trap than any other method. You just dump them into trash, rebait and reset. No prying them out of snap traps and no smell of rotting dead rat that was killed by the bait. No risk of poisoning my pets.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Victor-Electronic-Rat-Trap-M240/100400789

features.jpg
 
Chrissyr, we spend lots of time packing the birds around. Quite a few have been brooded in the laundry room and are so used to dogs, people, noises they are pretty much bomb proof. They learn to trust and relax, training them to station is another matter. It's not quick but it's nice to know they won't fly off the table and get DQ'd.

Has anyone seen that commercial where the lady is blow drying her chicken on the kitchen counter for fluffier eggs???? LOL It's for I Can't Believe it's not Butter
 
All I ever caught with glue boards was rat hair

I have seen and hear those stories. It was a very common reason for visits when I was a Vet Tech. Some you could save...some you could not. My own dog got into some snail bait someone else had put out. Fortunately I recoganized the symptoms and got her in right away. Also very fortunate for me that, since i worked there, I only had to pay for material costs.


I'm telling ya...the electronic traps are the way to go!. They are pricey but well worth the money. We have 2 now. I keep one near the finches and move the other around as needed. One set of 4 D batteries will kill a ton of rats/mice. I had been hearing chewing around my big Rubbermaid storage container I keep chicken feed in and then one day saw a very well-fed mouse make a run for it when I opened it a couple of days ago. It had chewed a big hole on one corner. I cleared out a space at the back near the hole, put a little penut butter thre the holes in the back of the trap, set it in place and flipped the switch. Next morning...a well-fed DEAD mouse. I have cought more rat/smice with that trap than any other method. You just dump them into trash, rebait and reset. No prying them out of snap traps and no smell of rotting dead rat that was killed by the bait. No risk of poisoning my pets.


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Victor-Electronic-Rat-Trap-M240/100400789

features.jpg

This is what we use and yes they work great. We have 3 in our garage were they were having a feast on our dog and cat food. Oh and we could hear them in our walls. Creepy!
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Within a week we had no more rats and mice.
 

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