I have just seen a mouse eating out of my chickens feeder

We've had problems with rats in this village for some time now.  They were in the stone walls of the house last winter .  Council were involved in dealing with them and they used poison bait.  Not very happy with this, as found half a rat in the garden, and then worried that our dog might have had the other half........

As we've just introduced hens to the garden, we, and neighbours have invested in Mark 4 Fenn Traps housed in DFT boxes.  Have a look on Domestic Fowl Trust webpage. And PM me if you want any more info.

So far, neighbour has caught one rat and 2 mice (not good because these are serious traps and too big for mice resulting in a splat rather than a crunch if you know what I mean).  Ours on the other hand are being visited by mice, but not being triggered, which is fine.  ..........The owls have got to have something to eat!  Mice in the garden don't really bother me.  And I'm only taking action against the rats because of the hens.

Because of the rat problem, wouldn't dream of leaving food out over night.  Am bringing hen food inside (in our house) at about 8.30 pm when the hens have had their fill.  Likewise, all food sacks are in a store room in our house, wouldn't leave them in the shed.

We ocassionally get a rat or mice problem but then we do live in the middle of no-where and believe me the rats are as big as rabbits here. Luckily we have 3 rat catchers....cats. Thank goodness we got the chickens before the cats and have never lost a chook to a cat yet.....so far the cats have come off worse as if they get too close they get pecked.

When we do know we have a problem we keep any left over food well out of reach and have a small garden gun ( hubby has a licence) and will go out and pop off the rats early in the morning or dusk.

I just gone out today and got a big container for there feed . I will put up there feeder when they have gone to bed

I have gone out and got two mouse traps I am going to put peanut butter on the traps and see if I can get him.

Will up date all if I get him   

I have got him in my mouse trap Big brown *.I put down the trap last night with peanut butter on it

I will put it down again tonight to see if i can get any of it's friends  

i lift my food up regiously everynite and pop it in the house where their food bin is, i sweep up all bits of left over food, its on the patio so its easily cleaned up.   I try and keep everything spotless and have respect for my neighbours and the fact i dont want to attract rats.   I know theres mice about because when i first moved into the house, found a mouse in the mop bucket which was outside at the time.   To be honest im not really bothered by mice its the rats i dont want.    Im in a really tricky situation at the moment, theres a couple that backs onto my next door neighbour, i had to report her yesterday as her back garden has got way out of hand, the grass is hip high, full of weeds, the patio well you carnt see it for dog poo, there is bags and bags of bin bags, most have been riped open probably by birds and cats, oh it is disgusting, her husband is in afganistan, (my hubby is in the army and we live in army housing) she is seriously living like a grot.    Apparaently the whole house is dirty, from my other neighbour who used to be friends with her the dogs poo and pee in the house, it goes on and on, she doesnt put out her rubbish bin, the garage apparently is full of black bin bags, so i reported her to welfare yesterday.    Sorry for changing the subject but its bound to attract rats, why do people choose to live like mingers.   nickyx