Maine

[buckabucka]

I still have rats here too, CoopChick. While I am slowly finishing burying hardware cloth 2 feet deep around the perimeter of the hoop coop, I have started to accept the fact that I'll always be raising rats. After I lined the whole floor of the run of the other coop with hardware cloth, they chewed through a 4x4 post. I'd have to replace everything with metal or something. DH did read about a new poison they are working on that goes in the water. It does not kill the rats, but sterilizes them. We have deadly poison that goes in water too, but it is difficult to find a place to put it (without chickens or other animals having access). We have rats in our compost too, and lost a few melon and winter squash out of the garden, but not too many.

I think a fox may have visited here several evenings ago. The hens were in their open run, slowly headed in for bed, when I heard a ruckus. When I walked over, I saw a flash of red fur on the other side of the fence quickly turn and disappear. I left them locked up for a day, and then let them out for half days. I'm hoping we continue to be lucky in the predator department. If the fox is really hungry, there's a lifetime supply of rats...

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Might be time for you to try the poison.

 

[buckabucka]

Funny, the poison you had given me SCG, I had in a bait station for the rats and couldn't get them to eat it. There were a couple back-up pieces in a baggie in the closet. Well, it turns out that the resident mice really wanted it! The chewed through the bag to get at it. I stuck a leftover piece into one of the rat tunnels. The whole thing disappeared, but I think they stockpiled it, as there has been no sign of death anywhere...

 

[MainerChick]

We also resorted to poison blocks. I find greatest success by sprinkling some layer crumbles onto it, so it smells like what they've been living on. I discovered a half dozen rat bodies in one week with that method.

 

[DwayneNLiz]

i am not in Maine but NH, but i have been following along for awhile
So Hi!!

For Rats i have heard that irish spring soap, cut up into cubes and left laying around will help to keep rats away, and i know that i use dryer sheets in my atv/tractor/etc mufflers, air cleaners, and around they smell way better than moth balls and they work, we put them EVERYWHERE -horse tack, shed, my dd playhouse etc

 

[lazy gardener]

i am not in Maine but NH, but i have been following along for awhile
So Hi!!

For Rats i have heard that irish spring soap, cut up into cubes and left laying around will help to keep rats away, and i know that i use dryer sheets in my atv/tractor/etc mufflers, air cleaners, and around they smell way better than moth balls and they work, we put them EVERYWHERE -horse tack, shed, my dd playhouse etc

Welcome to Maine, Dwayne + Liz! Thanks for the info re: mice/rats and irish spring. Every year, I have a mouse that enters my car through the engine compartment. Disgusting! I think I'll buy some IS to put in the engine compartment. Don't be shy about posting on Maine thread. It's not very active lately, as you've noted. We'll gladly accept transplants!

 

[DwayneNLiz]

Welcome to Maine, Dwayne + Liz! Thanks for the info re: mice/rats and irish spring. Every year, I have a mouse that enters my car through the engine compartment. Disgusting! I think I'll buy some IS to put in the engine compartment. Don't be shy about posting on Maine thread. It's not very active lately, as you've noted. We'll gladly accept transplants!

I have not tried the IS myself, i have had very good luck with dryer sheets, but my farrier swears by it, he puts in around his hay barn, and has had rats but not so much anymore
Just so you know I am Liz lol

 

[buckabucka]

Welcome D&L. The rats don't like peppermint oil either. I've dipped Q-tips in it and put it in their pathways, and it worked for a while. Anything that disturbs their sense of smell might help. I'm not sure where mine are coming in right now. I have one more section to seal off, but I don't see a hole there. Perhaps it is underground and I will discover it while digging (I hope).

 

[DwayneNLiz]

I hope to never have to deal with rats, i have had mice, chippies and squirrels though
they are the bane of my existence

 

[lazy gardener]

Had rats once in my previous life with chickens. They were coming into garage and making off with lots of feed from the bag. I didn't figure out where all my feed was going until I spied one of them. Took traps and poison to get rid of them. Since then, I've never kept feed in the open.