I just wanted a bearded buff silkie. You won't believe this story!

[NewToFarming]

Gosh! I am so sorry! I hope things turn around for you! I also battled rats at my old farm and you know what, they were winning! No matter what I did they won! I did everything I could find to try and get rid of them and nothing worked. It became this personal obsession with me! LOL I would gear up, grab my pitchfork & peppermint oil spray and go rat hunting! They went as far as to chew through concrete! Thank god I have a new place now!

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

OH MY! Did you use any traps? We have caught them all in the traps and that has been wonderful. Also we are not leaving anything out there for them to eat.

 

[NewToFarming]

Yes, I had used the safe ones that use poison that other animals could not get into, home made ones and the snap ones. I only ever caught one in a trap and there were tons of rats. It was a very old farm and I am sure they have learned how to avoid danger! LOL I got some using the poison but not near enough. They hated the peppermint oil and would keep them away for a for hours but was also good at flushing them out from where they were nesting. The would watch me from the rafters of the barn. Very creepy and is why I always walked with a pitch fork!

 

[Lil'ChickFarm]

Well we just bought five traps and the wooden traps do not work well, but the black plastic ones caught twenty in three nights. I don't see rats any more and I keep them out.
I also used peanut butter and some chicken food stuck in that for the bait. The rats will avoid the traps for a day or so as they are neophobic. Then they will try the traps out. If I lived in the country, I would have outdoors cats to keep things away, but in the city, an outdoors cat won't stay in my back yard. Also all the rats I caught except one, were small ones, probably a couple litters of moms. That is when we began to notice them when these litters were growing.
We live a couple blocks from stores and restaurants and that is where they live I am sure.
Also if people feed their dogs outback, it attacks them.

 

[EdenCamp]

Wow! That's not a streak of bad luck that's been a marathon! Best of luck next go round for you - you certainly deserve it.

I live deep in the country and there's everything from bobcats and a zillion coyotes on down, even the odd bear and cougar. The worst is the dogs running loose or wild. A pair of Great Pyrenese keep the wilds at bay, heavy huge oak canopy cuts down on hawks and owls and the farm cats cover the slack. The female was friendly and welcomed anybody and anything. Now that I have a mated pair they have gotten more protective of thier home grounds from outsiders. The cats are serious hunters of birds and rodents - have even dragged home full grown rabbits as big as they are so thier fascination with the babies and older chicks in the grow out pen can be nervous making especially when the odd escape is made. Fortunately when there have been escapes I've been out there. I think the cats were so surprised as they ran by they did no more than take a half hearted swat at them. Would not be comfortable with the outcome of an undiscovered break out tho.

The risks we know we take don't take the sting and heart crushing disapointment when nature strikes. Here's hoping you've had you're full measure for a long time coming!