I Need HELP...voles!

[poochgrmr]

We didn't have a hard winter at all so the ground near the house has thawed. I have a bed with lots of Spring bulbs. You can guess what is happening. I see tunnels all around in the bed. I would assume that the bulbs are being eaten. When planting I put red pepper flakes but that was 5 years ago. What can I do to stop them without using something that would hurt chickens. Bulbs are popping through the dirt early but will they now continue growing...That Is The Question....ANY suggestions welcome.

 

[sheaviance1]

I was really hoping someone would answer this post. I have the same problem here. My grandma used to flush them out with a water hose, but doing that leaves a lot of sunken places in the yard. I may resort back to that though because there are so many out there! It's hazardous to walk through the yard at this point.

 

[airen]

I wish I could help...

Our soil is so bad we do raised beds with hardware cloth at the bottom. I know that is no help to you now, but maybe my commenting and putting back on top will

 

[AquaEyes]

Try finding a friend with ferrets, and offer them some old tee-shirts for nesting material. After a week or so of the ferrets "perfuming" the shirts for you, take them and stuff them down the vole tunnels (or tear them up into pieces if a whole shirt won't fit). That might frighten them into leaving.

Just a thought -- when I had ferrets, something I learned is how rodents tend to be very averse to the scent of mustelids

 

[sheaviance1]

My DIL has a ferret! I'll give this a try. Thank you.

 

[un-named543]

the best method I know of takes alot of time unfortunately....
step down all the mounds and trails and keep checking OFTEN for activity and do this quietly.
When you see one mounding, grab a pitchfork, time your stab and stab hard.
There are also mole traps one can buy, but the pitchfork method I have the best luck with.

 

[AquaEyes]

Wait, just so I'm clear on this -- your problem is with VOLES, not MOLES, right? Because I don't know how moles would react to ferret odor, but what I proposed should work for voles.