[Viv]

I have found that there are now some (probably loads) of rats under the hen arc my husband made, it is very large and sits on chicken wire on the ground with a raised boarded pallet floor inside. It is extremely heavy and difficult to move. I hoped to leave it in situ as my ladies are all free range. What can you suggest to do to get rid of these creatures. Also should I bait the perimeter around the houses, or around the firld boundary?

[muntjac]

firstly get the shed off the ground by ten inches at least .. use a long thick post to lever each corner up and prop on bricks or sleepers /allowing a lot of air to get under and light will deter them .. then wire around the shed base with 1 inch chicken type wire with a hole into which you can chuck rat poison ..... dont alllow the birds to gain acces to it . see my post on rats baiting stations for more help  
http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=1874&highlight=rats

[Viv]

Thanks Munty, I always feel more confident when I get advice from you and everyone on the site.  
Looks like we will be busy this weekend.   Hopefully the neighbours will not catch on to what we are doing, I really do not want any problems from then, they have already moaned about Thomas crowing at 06.00am, God help them when its light at 05.00am :!:  :!:
I do give all the near neighbours free eggs every week to keep them sweet.

[Lost in France]

If you get a special rat-box, you can use this under the henhouse, do as Munty says and wire round it...just belt and braces! The rat box is extra protection to ensure that the birds don't get to the poison.

Judi

[Viv]

Now a silly question, where do they die, and how do you dispose of the bodies if they have poison in them?

[Lost in France]

Interesting question...we rarely find a body so I assume they return to the nest to die or go somewhere out of the way. I think maybe they take the food to the nest?

Others may know better but I'd be interested to know as it is something I too worry about. I do, however, think that the bodies dry up and decompose quickly.

Judi

[ck2day]

I have got rid of 3 in the last 2 years courtesy of packets of poisened corn from my local feed merchants. The first dead one i found near my ponies hay and the last i finished off with a spade!

Made my day, but it took some killing. They're tough little blighters, or big blighters depending on age    

Afraid I view them as vermin and I feel justified in killing them, especially when they were trying to gnaw their way through the wodd into my Guineau pigs cage  :x

[slowef]

Oh CK I so agree thats what they did to mine and killed my little baby squeekie pig :cry: