[slowef]

I have noticed the pond losing water at an alarming rate after I have topped it up each day.  I had wondered why so many of the edge stones were in the water, the rats must have moved them in their digging forays. The culprits have gone under the edge and burrowed under the liner chewing holes in it.  This is the result a totally ruined pond.

The "kids" are not amused and reduced to a plastic blow up pond which is no good at all.  A very nice Freecycler has offered me a rigid pond liner to tide us over (oh pun in there) until we can cement the pond sides and plasticise and coat it with tar stuff in the summer.

The rat man cometh :evil:  :evil:

Reduced to this poor ducks :cry:

My daughter was  here at the weekend and her staffie had a fine time chasing the rats and managed to kill several of them for me.  I have not seen any today so he must have put them off temporarily but I know they are still round somewhere.
 :?

[richyrich7]

blooming things ! I hate rats :evil:  must admit tho your ducks look lovely in that little paddling pool, cute  :oops:

[naturesparadise]

love the ducks

yeah rats are big problem one good thing about have cats everywhere seems to keep them down

when i lived in Essex i used to get jobs shooting rats with me airgun

i got pretty good at it to i got 88 in one day

[Fat Hen]

Aw :!:   Look at them ducks.  Bless.

My daughter was here at the weekend and her staffie had a fine time chasing the rats and managed to kill several of them for me. I have not seen any today so he must have put them off temporarily but I know they are still round somewhere.

      Good doggy    

[Foxy]

Oh how frustrating!!! My OH thinks he could get a fair few with a shotgun, they could be contained in the liner -he is a crack shot - but wouln't be much left of the liner! :shock:  :shock:

[slowef]

Hoping the ratman will be able to get them with better poison than I can buy over the counter.  A neighbour said that the local garden centre was losing about a  50lb of bagged dried dog food a night to them last year.

11 ducks + 2 geese = 1 x 2ft pond NOT   The squabling to see who could get in was amusing as they shoved and pushed each other round.  Needless to say with them all standing on the edge it was soon emptied as they flattened the sides, hence need for a solid one :?
Fozzie shares with no one she is in charge

[Aunt Sally]

Sandra that is terrible - poor you - poor duckies  :cry:

Keep your quacker up dear  :!:

[slowef]

It is working out to be a very expensive hobby :cry: If it goes on this way I will be forced to part with something chickens or ducks as I can't afford all these extra expenses, that liner was nearly £100 and I had discount :cry:

[Jellyhead]

b****y rats :twisted: Hope you get rid soon Sandra, at least Ratty didnt get any of your lovely ducks and geese Loved the piccies

[babe]

poor duckies, i hope you get it sorted soon.

[Midwife]

We have rats. :evil:  I could'nt believe the size of one of them skipping across my lawn with it's tail over one arm and and half a hot cross bun in the other hand . Sorry that you are having such expense Sandra. There's always a hidden cost to everything, but it's very frustrating when it could be avoided! Your ducks are so sweet though.

[richyrich7]

Not sure rats can be "avoided" midwife especially this year as they are reported to be getting to epidemic proportions in the cities   All we can do is be vigilant.

[Midwife]

Oo sorry :oops: I didn't mean rats could be avoided. Other wise I would'nt have Fred Astaire tripping across my garden! :twisted:  

[richyrich7]

 love to see one chance it when our henry's out in the garden ! he loves them, thinks there great sport. Daft cat  :roll:

[naturesparadise]

well looks like time to get a new airgun and go hunting