MJ's little flock

[kattabelly]

The rats I think were eating what the chickens threw on the ground.

Got you. My resident rats eat directly from the feeders

 

[Shadrach]

Got you. My resident rats eat directly from the feeders

Got/hopefully had, a rat problem at the field. There have been lots of changes that may have played their part in the rat population reduction, managing to kill the breeding female from the goose run helped. What was the unexpected contribution was the spilled feed from the overnight bowls which I swept out daily and put in a plastic bucket outside the coop run and the extended run. Initially I just noticed the rats coming to the bucket and jumping in. A couple of rates got it wrong and jumped into a bucket full of rainwater next to the poop bucket. Bit by bit a rat presence was less and less noticeable in the coop run and now I rarely see a rat. I know they are still about from the rat runs behind the coop run.
Of course what helps most is not leaving feed down and having supervised mealtimes. I did this in Catalonia with the tribes. I do it at the field excluding the feed in the coop overnight.

 

[kattabelly]

Got/hopefully had, a rat problem at the field. There have been lots of changes that may have played their part in the rat population reduction, managing to kill the breeding female from the goose run helped. What was the unexpected contribution was the spilled feed from the overnight bowls which I swept out daily and put in a plastic bucket outside the coop run and the extended run. Initially I just noticed the rats coming to the bucket and jumping in. A couple of rates got it wrong and jumped into a bucket full of rainwater next to the poop bucket. Bit by bit a rat presence was less and less noticeable in the coop run and now I rarely see a rat. I know they are still about from the rat runs behind the coop run.
Of course what helps most is not leaving feed down and having supervised mealtimes. I did this in Catalonia with the tribes. I do it at the field excluding the feed in the coop overnight.

Rats are everywhere here and I swear some of them are so big they probably count as their own sub-species, like the Orkney vole. There was already a large population at the community garden before I brought the chickens in, and I am planning to rebuild all the shared compost bays so they're rat-proof but not sure if that will actually help much or if they'll just start eating more growing produce off people's plots. I'm planning to try a treadle feeder once the chicks are bigger.

Air guns need a license up here but the rats are so bold that I've got a few with a catapult, despite my rubbish aim.

 

[Shadrach]

I've got a few with a catapult, despite my rubbish aim.

Likewise, plus the occasional roaming dog with a clay ball on the arse.