RATS!!!!

[lurky]

So i was such an idiot.....my cat had this rat and it was screaming bloody murder, so i saved him. Well......he lives under our shed (which i knew) and he tried to get into the silkie house. So my first question is......will he hurt my 8 week old silkies? and my SECOND question is......we have had a have-a-heart set up and not caught him. any suggestions on bait they cannot refuse? We have used peanut butter and then tried swiss with no luck.

 

[bantymum]

Hi Lurky, try chocolate.
Im trying to remember how big 8 week old is. Rats love birds!!!!If hes hungry he may have a go. Im surprised he hasnt already, have the chickens been in there all along or have you just moved them there?, My silky nursery pens have fine gauze wire to prevent the rats from getting in.

 

[tiffanyh]

Try chicken food! That is what probably got him there in the first place!

On second though, consider something stinky to attract him, maybe wet cat food.

 

[Varisha]

peanut butter

 

[lurky]

Quote:
Is chocolate supposed to work or just a suggestion? I found the trap sprung this AM but not sure why. Nothing in it. I think my big birds would kill it if it messed with them, but the silkies act scared....so i'm going to trust them. Thank you. I might try the cat food. I tried scratch last night. I hope we get him soon.......yesterday we found its all chewed up around the silkies door

 

[schmoo]

Try slightly undercooked bacon. Its worked for me.

 

[Standard Hen]

I just went through this and decided to go the poison route. Worked like a charm. I was scared but was not into disposing of dead rats stuck in a trap, the chance that one of my cats would get stuck in the thing etc.. Put the poison (easy as it breaks off in chunks) in the holes under the coops and blocked them with big rocks. Gone! No more. I do not think I had a big problem to begin with but it sure was easy enough. I am keeping an eye to see if any new rat routes show up but so far nothing.

 

[lurky]

Quote:
I read somewhere that if you use poison, you are risking your chickens. If somehow some of the poison gets to them, they are all done. So we just got home from buying a Kill trap for it He had his chance to get out alive. As i was typing that last sentence DH yelled "OUCH" so i guess he is checking it out

(just like a little kid)

 

[SandraChick]

RAT ZAPPER.....works great, no poison. A little spendy, but worth every penny.

GOt mine at Ace hardware store.

Sandra

 

[polychickens]

Personally, I'd stop 'having a heart' and let the cat eat! We are talking about a rat here, so I'd let him become part of the food chain.

I keep a couple of slightly underfed outdoor-only cats around my place so that mice, etc can get eaten before they show up in my house. The 'free range' cats are happy enough with this setup.

I also allow my chickens to devour any live critter they can scrounge up in the yard and I am remorseless, but to each his own.

Polychickens