Rat in duck pen, what to do???

[Bleenie]

So i am 100% positive that there is a RAT in the Duck pen. that would explain where some of Kahlua's eggs have gone and the hole keeps coming back everytime i fill it in, ive used rocks and everything. I even threw some Juicy Fruit in the hole to try and kill it that way(it does work on moles). A couple weeks ago the GOOSE EGGS went missing and since the geese left it has moved to the duck pen.

Any ideas on how to get rid of this thing? i am worried about using poison since it's in the duck pen.

 

[LittleSquidgenHome]

Rat trap on the outside of the hole? fill the hole with glass? stand over hole with shovel and lay in wait?
Seriously the rat trap is probably the best idea, provided the ducks cant get to it, the last thing you want is a duck caught in a rat trap.
When I was growing up and we developed a rat problem in the horse barn and poultry house, we got a terrier. After Bruno took up residence in the farm yard we did not have a rat problem again, of course we didn't have cats, raccoon, opossums, or rabbits either. And I am sure if he could have gotten in with the poultry we wouldn't have had any of them either, but he was effective.

 

[FenDruadin]

A terrier! Really? I LOVE that idea. Will a terrier also eat the snakes, though? The biggest argument against a barn cat for me is that they'll also eat our resident snakes, and I love the snakes.

I do love that he'd control the possums & raccoons too.

I am definitely going to have to look more into the terrier idea. I'll bet they can't be kept in an unfenced yard, though, which would be a problem for us. I'd love to hear more about your experiences...

 

[TennesseeTruly]

We used to live in NY and we had rats because we lived right on the river. And I don't mean little rats, I mean BIG rats the size of cats. We used steel wool to fill the holes, then put metal sheeting over the hole. No more rats. They couldn't eat through the steel wool.

Laurie

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I keep rat traps set, and use a bait box.


ETA: I cover the rat traps with old apple boxes, and the bait box is outside of the coop.

 

[maralynn28]

I've got a Rat Terrier....perfect for those pesky rats!
Great dog, easy to train as they are pleasers. I don't know how she'll be with the ducks yet, as she has never been around them but I'm guessing she'll be good. I posted elsewhere how I dropped a giant steak on the floor while making dinner once and though she made a go for it as soon as I made a peep she stopped in her tracks and went to lay down.

I'm sure she'll be curious but am sure she'll accept them as new family members and be my new duck guard. I'd "lend" her to you if we lived near each other but since you said you loved the idea I thought I should mention the breed, can't speak highly enough about them.

There are also some box style traps...rat/mouse goes in and doesn't come out. I'd think that would be safe for the ducks.

 

[tony garza]

We have two terriers. Bad idea for us. We love them a lot but they also like to eat chicks, chickens and ducks.

I would use the rat trap covered with an old milk box or even a laundry basket to keep the trap away from the ducks.

Good luck,

Tony

 

[maralynn28]

Quote:
Great idea!

 

[pirtykitty]

We had mice come in under the kitchen sink cabinet last year. How they got through brick outside who knows.. after mouse trapping them ( know you can't use mouse trap around the ducks) hubby put sitll wool in hole... haven't seen any more of them inside in about a year.. cats are back to catching them out side.. !!!!

 

[Bleenie]

We had a Mouse problem in the house during winter. we finally caught them all and then wadded up tin foil and put that in the hole, havent had 1 since..they HATE metal.

this has to be a rat though, the hole is bigger and its obviously carrying off eggs. I might try the trap under a crate..with a BIG rock on it of course. it's be so mad if one of my babies (ducks) got hurt.