Strange Tracks in Pen *Logical Conclusion on Page 46*

[MMPoultryFarms]

I was only makeing a suggestion of what I found on BYC I just blow stuff away around here. the only way to humanly kill on my farm is fill it fulla lead. Personally I could care less about rats and mice if you want to protect the very animal that brings all the diseases into our flocks. MG/MS/ Microplasmosis/ Pullorium/Coriza/Salmonilla the list goes on and on and on. But as for us here on this farm I dont care if its a little mouse or a giant rat result is the same .22 marlin.

 

[packmomma]

Son of a gun now I want to know!!! I was truly hoping that when I started reading this thread I'd come to the end and the mystery would be solved

Grr..now I guess I'm with all of you. My vote is for the rat thinking it can outsmart the snake lol. "Fast as fast can be....you'll never catch me!!"

Guess while I wait I'll take care of this injured chicken I rescued.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Quote:
I apologize if (by agreeing with someone) I offended you. You are right: you were just offering a suggestion! I used to raise pet rats once upon a time and I get a little defensive when I read about ways that don't cause a quick and painless death to even mice because I have very positive memories of my little favorite rat, Peekaboo. She would literally come to me when called and also when I rustled a bag of chips! That silly critter lived to be almost 4 years old and was single-handedly one of the best pets I ever had. I know you were trying to help, and I have never tried your recommendations, so who am I to question them? Again, no offense was intended.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

None taken I was just told on byc its a humane way VS drowing rats and some of the really strange methods I read on here. it seemed the more stable method for someone not wanting a rat/mouse to suffer. and I realize everyone cant Just open fire like I can here on the farm I am a quarter of a mile away from the nearest other farm and my house sits on 640 acres of wheat and pasture So i dont really have much to worry bout far as stray bullets. Not to mention I live in a valley the house on the east and west of me are over the hills.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Well, after several nights, all i am seeing is a whole lotta:

i guess i can set the humane trap out tonight, closer to the playhouse, and try to catch him/her, then take a drive far far away. Alternately, i have in the past chucked rat bait down their holes. But have seen rats writhing around after eating bait, and it doesn't look pretty. Or i can try using my pellet gun. i've gotten a couple of rats that way, but it takes a lot of patience.

The last think i want to do is hurt any critter, so i do try to be as humane as possible. i just don't want this rat running around my pen every night, for the health and safety of my hens. i do appreciate any and all suggestions on how to get rid of him.

 

[SilkieChickenLover336]

If you live by a state boundery then drive across the border and drop him off. if you live not close then find some nice woods far far far far far far far far away and drop him off and run......fast

 

[annageckos]

Xenia's Chickens :

MMPoultryFarmSet him in a trash bag duct tap a small piece of hose inside it run that into your tail pipe and block the hole some I use an old rag. the rat will fall asleep painlessly and never wake us :​

Please don't do that! I don't want want rats in my barn either, but it really isn't necessary to torture them.
Modern cars (especially in California) produce almost no carbon monoxide because of the emission control equipment. The only thing coming out of that tailpipe is boiling hot exhaust gas-not exactly quick and painless.

Glue traps aren't pleasant either. The glue doesn't kill the rat- it dies of starvation/dehydration/exposure. If it tries to escape, its skin or fur will rip out.

An old fashioned Victor snap trap, properly set, is instant and painless. A gun is OK, too, if you can handle it safely. You can also buy a Havahart "humane" trap and feed your poison bait to the rat after it's caught so it doesn't drag the bait out where other animals can get at it, or die in the hole.

I gotta agree with this. I know it is a rat, but why does it deserve to suffer before dieing? Snap traps work great and are quick. Poison I would never use for multiple reasons. If any other animal gets a hold of the dead rat it will be poisoned too. Also, have you ever seen a rat die from poison bait? I have, it was horrible. Rats normally follow the wall, so that is the best place to set the snap trap. You can even bait it for a couple of nights without setting it. That way the rat will get use to it and feel more comfortable walking into it. This will increase your chances of catching it. I would use peanut butter, or something they have to work at getting, not something that can be grabbed and ran away with. As for the marks, I really do not think it is a snake, but I also don't think it was the rat. Without seeing the tracks myself I really don't know what they are. I have no idea how big and deep they are.​

 

[SilkieChickenLover336]

Anything yet?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Me=

Still waiting for something more exciting than a rat. I don't see how a rat could have made those marks!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i seem to be experiencing technical difficulties here. The cam showed "Full" this morning, but there were no pictures on the SD card. Even though i've deleted the previous pictures, and the card looks empty when i put it into the card reader on my computer. Arg! My husband is helping me now to figure out how to actually delete the pictures off the card.