[ClaireMc]

After a blissful first year on a plot inherited in immaculate condition I think complacency set in this year.  Insecure borders have allowed a family of (shudder) rats to take up residence in our compost.

I'm afraid the babies bought it on discovery and there's a trap down for the adults.  Can't let the nasty beasts run riot near our beloved chooks.

Apparently rats love the warm smelly environment of compost so when you're turning yours over, particularly if you have the traditional patchwork of allotment fencing - take care.

Apart from the obvious hole blocking and reinforcements, are there any rat-repelling strategies we could try?

[Novice]

I was advised that rats do not like the smell of human urine...so I have been urinating against my shed for weeks now, but the rats are still under there. Maybe the other plotholters were just having a gag at my expense...which I suppose is particularly funny when I know the rats have 3 entrances, so I try and stop mid-flow and then carry on at the next entrance  :oops:

[Ropster]

I would get one of those Rat Bait stations (or make one) and feed them some Rat poison. I fing the Blue Grain's type works best (rentokill brand from DIY Shops)

[richyrich7]

We had them under the shed and I used my homemade bait and I also sprayed a strong jeyes fluid mix down the rat holes, don't know which worked better but they cleared off or died  

[Miller]

They hate the smell of tar oil (not sure if you can still get it)  When we had them coming in stables through drainage holes a few years back we got wire coathangers and coiled them into spring shapes, tied strips of J Cloth onto them and soaked the cloth in the tar oil then shoved them down the holes (obv so wire wasn't going to cut horses) - never had another in the stables (although they did still come onto the yard)

Presume proper creosote would also work as it smells the same (if you can get it or have some)

[Novice]

A golfing pal of mine said a 9 iron is a surefire cure

[lightyears]

we had a rat, big as a small dog, met a sad end at the mercy of my air rifle. felt no pain, and was done humanly

[Robin Redbreast]

i was once told that human hair in stocking would ward away foxes so i think that maybe a moving scarecrow with the above attached may well work might try it myself as i have an abundance of human hair at my fingertips!