Lost 2 quail today....

[shelleyd2008]

One of them was eaten by the #@#$%@!! rats overnight, and the other got loose when I was moving them. Unfortunately it was a brown, and I didn't see where she landed. I looked in the direction she had flown but didn't find her. Hopefully she'll come back, but I doubt it...

But I moved the quails' cages again, and this time I don't think there's any way for the rats to get in their cages. The last time, the cages were suspended from the roof by chains, but the ends were pretty close to the walls. Now they are again suspended from chains, but the nearest wall is 4' away. So unless the rats go in the rafters, then climb down the chains, the quail should be safe. Now I get to worry about my bantam chickens that roost in that part of the building, hopefully the rats won't decide to start eating them instead....


We have tried so many things to get rid of these stupid rats, it is unbelievable. There are just so many of them!!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

you mean rats will kill birds, wow, have you tried traps or will your birds get in them, I've got a platic rat trap but we use it for voles. how do you know that a rat killed the bird, nothing else can get in

 

[shelleyd2008]

I know it was a rat, because the bones were inside the cage. The birds are too big for something to pull them out, so the rats get inside the cage and eat them there. This is the second one I've lost like that, same thing, with the bones inside the cage.

I only have 2 traps, and don't have any place I can really put them without the chickens getting them. We've used tons of poison and the dog kills them a lot. We had 7 in a feed barrel yesterday that I had forgot to put the lid on.

ETA: The freaking stupid, nasty rats will eat just about anything. I've lost quite a few young chicks this year because of them, they seem to like the white ones the most

The quail that were eaten both times were pure white english whites.

 

[mamawolf544]

Rat or Mice poison

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup baking soda

mix well and put in small bowls around the area.
They will eat it and go to water and....

you get the idea.

will not hurt your birds, cats or dogs, but may cut down on the problem.

 

[Yvonne37894]

I had Rats in a horse barn and the were tight rope walkers.
We tried shooting them, ended up with only the smart ones.
I think they will come down the chains that hold your pens.
Good luck with getting rid of them.

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
YESSIM I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT HERE! RATS WILL CERTAINLY CLIMB DOWN CHAINS! THEY ARE ALMOST AS GOOD AT PROBLEM SOLVING AS COONS, MAYBE BETTER?

I WOULD AT LEAST RIG UP GLUE TRAPS TO THE CHAINS HIGH ENOUGH UP TO KEEP THEM CLEAR OF THE CHICKENS. ALSO KEEP YOUR FEED BARRELS AWAY FROM ALL OTHER BIRDS/ ANIMALS--- PREFERABLY SOMEPLACE WHERE YOU CAN LOCK THEM UP AND KEEP ALL ANIMALS AWAY--- THEN SPRINKLE A SMALL AMOUNT OF FEED ON THE GROUND NEAR THE BARRELS AND FEED THE RATS FOR A FEW DAYS--- ONCE THEY GET USED TO FREE SUPPER CHANGE THE SPRINKLES FROM BIRD FOOD TO DECON RAT POISON. PLACE IT ON THE GROUND NEAR SIDEWALLS AND ANY PLACE WHERE PATHWAYS NARROW--- RATS TRAVEL SIDEWALLS AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE STRUCTURE NORMALLY--- PLACE YOUR POISON IN THEIR PATH AND THEY'LL TAKE CARE OF THEM SELVES---- KEEP ALL FEED SWEPT UP AND NEAR AND TIDY SO THEY DONT HAVE ANY OTHER FOOD SOURCES AND THEY'LL EAT THE POISON ONCE OTHER EASY FOOD DRIES UP SO TO SPEAK

 

[shelleyd2008]

Hadn't thought about the glue traps, I'll have to try that. The only ones I have are for mice though, would those work?

The feed is in metal trash cans, so they can't get into it unless I forget to put the lids on. I am being persistent about putting the lids on now. One of the barrels is empty though, so we have a small bit of feed in it so the rats will go in there. We can kill them much easier that way lol.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Any tips on how to find the one that got loose? If she survives the night that is. It's raining like a bear out there right now, so idk how she'll do. The stupid guineas have probably already scared her away

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

my quail always came back to the pen at dark, but in the rain

 

[ksukristin]

so sorry to hear that Shelley! that sucks!