Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[pennyJo1960]

Good morning The neighbor other side of road had tone of garbage outside.
Then the property behind us was sold to the tree guy up the hill.
He cleared all the brush and blackberry up there to plant trees.
We then had rats.
We did set the rat traps all over the garden. will check them today.
Took all their feed away.

 

[ValerieJ]

So... now that I have chickens I can expect to see rats? I hope not.

I know I have some mice running around. I caught a few of them this winter in traps I had set in the shop, which shares a wall with my new run. But mice, I figure when the chickes are old enough, well, they'll catch them and eat 'em, I hope.

You're both very brave! I would hit them with a shovel or shoot them with my bb gun, but not stomp them. But I guess when protecting your flock, bravery just happens. LOL





Maybe I should be proactive and keep a couple of rat traps set just outside my new chicken run, huh?

I'm over in Toledo and haven't ever seen a single rat. I wouldn't be too worried about it. We do have field mice here, but also good micer cats.

 

[Smokerbill]

Good morning The neighbor other side of road had tone of garbage outside.
Then the property behind us was sold to the tree guy up the hill.
He cleared all the brush and blackberry up there to plant trees.
We then had rats.
We did set the rat traps all over the garden. will check them today.
Took all their feed away.

I guess all the rats are looking for a new home. That kinda sucks. Do you have cats? I don't have one myself, but my neighbor has one that lives outdoors, and it's always looking for prey on my property. More cats might be better, though, if the coyotes don't eat them.

I'm over in Toledo and haven't ever seen a single rat. I wouldn't be too worried about it. We do have field mice here, but also good micer cats.

Good to know. I bought a rat trap right after I bought my house and put it in the crawl space. Didn't catch a rat but caught a tiny little possum. I installed new skirting so possums aren't a problem anymore.

 

[Smokerbill]

Just having a late breakfast / early lunch of eggs. Fried in leftover fried chicken grease. Tasty!!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

We have one left of three, Bob is altered big striped kitty.
His best friend is our Marema Snow.

 

[Hinotori]

So... now that I have chickens I can expect to see rats? I hope not.

I know I have some mice running around. I caught a few of them this winter in traps I had set in the shop, which shares a wall with my new run. But mice, I figure when the chickes are old enough, well, they'll catch them and eat 'em, I hope.

You're both very brave! I would hit them with a shovel or shoot them with my bb gun, but not stomp them. But I guess when protecting your flock, bravery just happens. LOL





Maybe I should be proactive and keep a couple of rat traps set just outside my new chicken run, huh?

I have more issue because the rats like the dry areas under the silkie houses in winter. They've almost totally vanished this week as we've dried out. As they prefer living out in the marsh grasses. I have treadle feeders to keep them out of the food which is what draws brown rats.

I don't have the common brown rats. It's the actual native rats which I think are Townsend rats. Easy to see difference on males because brown rats have large, very noticeable testicles and the native species doesn't. They are smarter than brown rats, too. I swear I have the rats of NIMH out there.

Brown rats are the common rats in cities. Sometimes there are black rats in cities which are also called roof rats. Those prefer to live and nest high up, hence the name. Brown rats nest underground. Most are brown rats. Pet rats are actually domesticated brown rats.

 

[My Three Chicks]

It's going to be a record 90 degrees today. 85 outside right now but 95 degrees in the coop!
2 of my girls are in there trying to lay but are so hot they are panting heavily. I have all 6 windows and 2 doors open. Curtain over the sunny one. Fan on high with a bucket of ice water (not so icy now) in front of the fan and one in front of their boxes. What else can I do to help? I hear it's going to be a brutal summer...sigh.

 

[Smokerbill]

It's going to be a record 90 degrees today. 85 outside right now but 95 degrees in the coop!
2 of my girls are in there trying to lay but are so hot they are panting heavily. I have all 6 windows and 2 doors open. Curtain over the sunny one. Fan on high with a bucket of ice water (not so icy now) in front of the fan and one in front of their boxes. What else can I do to help? I hear it's going to be a brutal summer...sigh.

I should've planted hop vines a few feet out from my bedroom wall, which faces west and gets all the hot, afternoon sunshine. Hops grow fast, and would probaby be tall enough to shade the entire wall.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I make ice in the old metal muffin pans, will often add a broth of chicken, beef or ham to the water then freeze.

 

[ValerieJ]

I just make sure mine have fresh cool water to drink, but their area is next to the forest and at least 10 degrees cooler than anywhere else in the yard. They do pretty well out there. We don't use fans, just open windows.