Peeps in Europe!

[chickengr]

Thanks guys!

Grrrrr we have a rat!!! Well probably more! my neighbours had them under their pigeon shed (maybe 15 metres from our coop) and spent probably 2 years getting rid of them with concrete etc. They have now moved in to ours. I'm devastated as I'm terrified of them. I saw a cheeky so and so at the feeder and at the waterer yesterday while in the garden. Starting to look at thigns to do. First is to get rid of food and water overnight I'm guessing. Anyone else had them?

I have just caught 19th rat in my car! I use simple mouse/rat trap and yellow cheese.

 

[chickengr]

btw, I live near a mountain and I am surrounded by fields and olive groves. so rats, foxes, minks, martens, badgers, weasels, hawks, eagles, etc. are like domestic animals.

 

[PouleChick]

Dodogne? My brother in law and his French wife bought a house in the Dodogne last year. For vacations at the time being, but they plan to go to live there permanently after their pension.

Yes indeed, we are central, between Bergerac and Perigueux. Where have they bought?

We need to rethink our open all hours food access! We've had the girls I'd say 9 years and this is our first issue! I've read some of the posts on here though and they scared the hooie doolies out of of me with people saying when they took all food away the chickens then start getting thier toes eaten overnight by the rats! but maybe they are just American rats??

I use simple mouse/rat trap and yellow cheese.

we have a simple rat trap, will be deploying it tonight!

 

[chickengr]

I've read some of the posts on here though and they scared the hooie doolies out of of me with people saying when they took all food away the chickens then start getting thier toes eaten overnight by the rats!

unfortunately that is true. I lost a few chickens to rats in my old place.

good luck with rat trap. make sure to keep other animals away from it. it can kill chicken or break cat's or dog's leg. at least my trap would.

 

[BDutch]

Yes indeed, we are central, between Bergerac and Perigueux. Where have they bought?

My BIL bought a house in a village about 30 min east of Bergerac.

Good luck with the rats.

 

[PouleChick]

My BIL bought a house in a village about 30 min east of Bergerac.

Good luck with the rats.

Not far then! Thanks for the luck, I guess I'll need it!

Last night after locking the girls in the coop I opened the gates to the run so that the cat has easy access. He spends large parts of his day down there so presume he does at night too. I'm hoping he may help us out. I know he is a good mouser based on the 'gifts' he leaves on our terrace!

 

[BDutch]

Last night after locking the girls in the coop I opened the gates to the run so that the cat has easy access. He spends large parts of his day down there so presume he does at night too. I'm hoping he may help us out. I know he is a good mouser based on the 'gifts' he leaves on our terrace!

Cats don’t kill the larger adult rats as far as I know. The baby rats, mice and (song)birds are a catch though.

Try to find a cat killing a rat on youtube and you get lots of cats in screen who obviously don’t know how to kill a rat.

 

[Skyeknight]

Cats don’t kill the larger adult rats as far as I know. The baby rats, mice and (song)birds are a catch though.

Try to find a cat killing a rat on youtube and you get lots of cats in screen who obviously don’t know how to kill a rat.

So far I have only heard of (semi) farm cats killing rats. Rats are way stronger than mice, so if your cat actually manages to kill a rat, your cat will probably have scratches or small wounds from the fight.

 

[PouleChick]

Oh no, OK that's maybe not the best idea then! He isn't a very big cat and I wouldn't want him to get hurt!

 

[maceleneo]

Sure rats are bigger than mice and there are a lot of cats who don't even try to catch them, but even my cats that are more similar to plants than to predators (sorry cats, but that's true!) manage to avoid to be injured by rats. Cat smell works as a deterrent even if my cats are the worst hunters ever. To be fair, I also use non-lethal traps.
Every once in a while (about once a year) I find rat droppings in the coop, then I let cats explore the coop and if after a couple of days I still find rat droppings, I set the traps, but usually after a couple of visits from cats rats go away on their own initiative.