Feel a bit bad about killing a rat...

[Atomic Ranch]

Most might think I'm just being silly about this!

Heard a commotion from the coop tonight so took a flashlight to check. Two fat rats munching the food!!!

They ran off and hid in a narrow space between support beams. The chickens were freaked out. Most sleep on the roost, but a few prefer to snuggle on the floor, so not good. I opened the big door, climbed in with a flashlight and a club and tried to shoo them out. They scurried, I flailed, they jumped around and hid again, I cursed, and the chickens were getting stressed. So I whacked one. Tossed it out, its friend found his own way.

Dead in 5 seconds, but I still feel a bit bad!

(The coop is rat-proof, 3 layers of sturdy 1/4" mesh. Only thing I can figure is they walked in through the front hatch while it was open at dusk.)

 

[kari_dawn]

My sister has a minpin x blue heeler...we send him after the rats. He is so good that he catches them, dispatches them, and then burries them...Im sorry you had to kill one...I know how you feel.

 

[justbugged]

It's okay to feel bad about killing a rodent. But you did what you needed to do.

 

[drumstick diva]

kari dawn you have the ideal dog, not only does he dispatch rats but, he cleans up (buries) afterwards. You should try and breed more like him, you'd be sold out in no time. Love to see a picture of him.

 

[Atomic Ranch]

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That's awesome! Maybe I could rent-a-dog.

They get in the run at night, no getting around that I suppose, but I've never seen them in the coop. They can hurt the chickens, yes?

 

[Atomic Ranch]

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Thank you!

I do wonder now if they've been getting in for some time, eating then running off before I come out to close the hatch. I was early tonight so perhaps they miscalculated. I kinda thought the food was going fast, but since the chickens recently started laying I figured they were just eating more, lol.

 

[kari_dawn]

yes they can. Especially ground sleepers! And they spread disease. Rats are no bueno!

Sai has been an EXCELLENT micro-ranch dog. He is all of twenty pounds, and has springs for legs! Impossibly smart, incredibly fast, and very analytical...for a dog...he has amazing problem solving skills. My sister jokes about making him into a breed, and sometimes, I think she should. He is amazing.

Yep, the rats now know where to get an easy meal. They gotta be getting in somewhere...and rats can hone in from miles away, so relocating them really isn't an option...the more rats there are, the more rats they attract.

 

[justbugged]

I had a dog like Kari's back in the '90s. Miss Berber is still my favorite dog. She was a Chow mix. Between killing rodents, and saving us from being blown up. I wish I could have had her cloned.

 

[Atomic Ranch]

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Gah! I looked the coop over pretty well, but will empty everything out in the morning for a better inspection. It's off the ground a couple of feet, too. When I figure it out, I'll post a pic.

I second drumstick diva's motion-- post a photo of this cool dude if you get a chance!

 

[Atomic Ranch]

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I'd love to get a dog when I've properly fenced-in the yard. There are a lot of Greyhound rescue places and I hear they are ok hunters? A family of barn owls living above the coop in the palms have always kept the rodents at bay, but they obviously let these slip!