Field Rats

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Epona
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Field Rats

Post by Epona » Mon Jan 04, 2021 7:26 pm

I’ve had quite the influx of field rats. The wooden snap traps worked on the first 6, then word spread and they avoid them. I bought rat poison boxes with the added bait. Never had luck with those boxes but I wanted the poison bait. We don’t have a license to buy the good stuff, and since we moved, I don’t know anyone around here.

The new poison cube you get now (which doesn’t look anything like the old ones) does not seem to attract any takers. I rig up my poison traps that were highly successful with the bait I used to be able to get. I’ve smeared peanut butter on the bait and on walls of the trap....still no takers. Any tips on how to get my guests to sit at the table? And yup, I remove all feed from the coups by dusk.

These buggers are driven. My coup has a cement floor and these wretches are climbing up the wall and coming in the air vents at the top of the wall along the ceiling and eaves. I’ve plugged some and when the weather is better and I can get the birds out into the yard, I’m going to wire them.
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Ontario Chick
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Re: Field Rats

Post by Ontario Chick » Mon Jan 04, 2021 10:52 pm

Wow, horrible things, perhaps they know the year of the Rat is coming to an end ?
We have squirrels trying to move in to now empty barn, no food in there, yet they are absolutely relentless.
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kenya
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Re: Field Rats

Post by kenya » Tue Jan 05, 2021 4:50 pm

Honestly I had big problems with rats, got two cats, no more rats or mice. I highly recommend them.
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Killerbunny
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Re: Field Rats

Post by Killerbunny » Tue Jan 05, 2021 5:00 pm

We had an influx after the house over the road was sold. Was able to get the good stuff but had to be very careful about looking for carcasses so the birds didn't get them.
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Epona
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Re: Field Rats

Post by Epona » Tue Jan 05, 2021 7:59 pm

Our cats don’t seem to be that effective. I’m thinking it’s because the buggers are dropping in from above into a relatively sealed spot...the coops. I’ve got the dogs doing the outside circuit, but that relies on timing or a really dumb one with a death wish LOL. I hate rats with a passion. Grrrrrrrrrr
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WLLady
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Re: Field Rats

Post by WLLady » Wed Jan 06, 2021 8:59 am

I had a horrible horrible time with field rats last year. i was literally chasing them through the barn with shovels and pitchforks. my dog=useless. my 3 (yes 3!) cats=useless. i got a couple in snap traps before they wised up to those. i got a couple in a live rat trap believe it or not (they learned that one super fast...). i got exactly 1 in a bucket trap. I finally resorted to poison, I managed to get some gel pack poison from the local feed store and we picked up something like 26 bodies in the first 48 hours. it was AWFUL. the stink of the rat pee was just nasty.....and the amount of feces! argh! not to mention fleas, and mites. ours were digging through the tunnel that the underground hydro comes through into the barn (cement floor). so i dropped a whole huge log pulling chain in there, they just dug up beside the water hydrant. so unfortunately we have to resort to poison. the other way to get rid of them is to remove ALL the food sources from the barn-everything and leave it empty for a year. but with our hobbies and passions that isn't usually something we can or want to do!!!!! Good luck....maybe someone has a terrier or hound they would like to have some fun in your barn? lock up your birds and let the beagle in?

i hate rats. and yes, i did get several with shovels and pitchforks. and no, i don't feel bad about it. they're dirty, stinky, messy and destructive. they tunnelled 45 bags of shavings in a week. 400$ worth of bedding useless and probably ate a bag of feed a week all by themselves. oh, not to mention that actually ATE the FLOOR out of my one coop outside, i need to replace all the flooring in there this coming year. grrrrr
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kenya
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Re: Field Rats

Post by kenya » Wed Jan 06, 2021 4:45 pm

Yes I agree rats are disgusting, dirty , destructive things. I lock my cats up in the barn, they can't get out, so their only fun is killing rats and mice.
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Shnookie
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Re: Field Rats

Post by Shnookie » Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:07 am

I had a friend that used antifreeze to kill rats. You have to put it in a shallow dish (or plastic lid) and then put it somewhere that only rats and mice can get into. Cats and dogs will drink it and die. Dead rodents that are found above ground have to be disposed of.
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Shnookie
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Re: Field Rats

Post by Shnookie » Thu Jan 07, 2021 11:08 am

The rodents will be attracted to the antifreeze, but it might help to make sure there is no water available.
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ross
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Re: Field Rats

Post by ross » Thu Jan 07, 2021 2:08 pm

Mix anti freeze with scratch/crushed type grain then add a little dry grain to it . Put down holes where they are or in boxes & leave lights on .Rats don’t like light . Clean up all extra feed in feeders also .
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