Shootin' Rats out in the Coop

[wbruder17]

Update! Night #2.... Ol Georgia Boy is 1 for 1... another head shot. I think they're starting to get wary....either that or we've killed the batch.

 

[uncle rico]

What kind of pellet gun does Georgia Boy use? A break-barrel or one of the cheaper multi-pump variety?

I have a Gamo break-barrel but rarely use it as I have a semi-auto .22 and we live far out in the country where no one cares about noise or richochets

 

[Dowie]

Quote:
They still carry salmonella. We keep the population down due the chance of contamination. A few weeks ago I caught 80 mice in one week with the Tin Cat traps.

Our cat is a good mouser, but we don't let her in the hen house or the egg packing room. Since the cats eat the salmonella ridden mice, the cat droppings are an even bigger risk for contamination.

Hmmm. Interesting. Solve one problem create another.

My neighbour's cat is probably leaving some contaminated droppings around too. Mind you, this is just a small backyard with chickens whereas you obviously run a proper commercial concern.

 

[wbruder17]

Quote:
They still carry salmonella. We keep the population down due the chance of contamination. A few weeks ago I caught 80 mice in one week with the Tin Cat traps.

Our cat is a good mouser, but we don't let her in the hen house or the egg packing room. Since the cats eat the salmonella ridden mice, the cat droppings are an even bigger risk for contamination.

Hmmm. Interesting. Solve one problem create another.

My neighbour's cat is probably leaving some contaminated droppings around too. Mind you, this is just a small backyard with chickens whereas you obviously run a proper commercial concern.

No, we do not have a commercial concern, so to speak. I have about 22 chickens, 2 ducks and 2 pheasants, and I sell the eggs, but we live in a watershed, so rats and varmints are a constant concern.

 

[wbruder17]

Got another one this morning. He got himself stuck in between the chicken wire. Most likely ate too much and then could not fit back through. Either that, or his enormous "balls" grew and got stuck. Either way, he was stuck and the chickens were biting at his tail this morning. So I called the DH, AKA Georgia Boy. He came out and, as ugly as it was, pumped about 4 shots into him before he got the kill.

I don't like to kill things, especially if it takes 2 or 3 shots, but I need to think about my chickens and rats are pests. Unless they are your pets of course.