Rat problem. Help asked for in East Lancs.

[FrenchieBoy]

We have just found out that one of the landowners that I shoot for has a bit of a rat problem developing. We have noticed well used rat runs coming from under the back of her poultry house. We can not use the usual rat cage traps (The ones with spring operated doors) as her cat gets itself caught in them (I found that out when we had a mink up there which I ended up shooting) and because the poultry has access to the area poison bait is not much of a practical solution.
I was thinking about the older type of "funnel trap" - The type where the rats could get in through the funnel but could not get back out and the size of the funnel would not let her cat get caught in it.
As both myself and the landowner are against the use of poisons (Unless there is really no other alternative) are there any other suggestions that might help to minimise/clear the rats, or does anyone in the East Lancs Area have a few of the funnel type traps that I could borrow for a little while.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

Don't know if this helps but can't you fit restecter bars to the front of you cage traps to work in the same manner as with tunnel traps so keeping puss out but letting the rats in

 

[shakey jake]

How big is the poultry house could it be lifted up higher and use terriers to kill the rats also if you raise it about 18inchs off the ground it will be less appealing to rats next winter

 

[VSS]

Don't know if this helps but can't you fit restecter bars to the front of you cage traps to work in the same manner as with tunnel traps so keeping puss out but letting the rats in

Yes. I'm currently using mink traps fitted with otter guards (which reduce the entrance size) for rat trapping in order not to keep catching the farmyard cats.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

I wasn't aware that you could do that with the mink cage traps. Many thanks for educating me guys!

 

[teyhan1]

What's wrong with using Warfarin bait?
Also Alphachloralose used correctly can be devastating at this time of year

 

[VSS]

What's wrong with using Warfarin bait?
Also Alphachloralose used correctly can be devastating at this time of year

He says he's rather not use poisons, if it can be avoided. I can understand that, having lost a much loved pet when I was a child as a result of rat poison.
Trapping can be pretty effective provided you maintain a goodly number of traps around the place, bait with something irresistible, and also periodically spring and re-set any traps that aren't catching.

 

[Southern]

When I was a boy, I would get rid of the extra mice that the cats were not catching in the barn by setting up a barrel with a false bottom sitting on legs, about 9 inches from the top. For big rats, you will have to set it about 18 inches. Here is why:
Tape around this bottom so it is sealed.
For the mice, put in small grain like millet or oats, about 2 inches deep
For rats, put in larger grain, like oats and corn, about 3 inches deep.
Now put a gangplank from where they come into the hen house, up to the barrel.
Add a level platform at the rim.
Line it with a trail of grain.

Rats come in, crawl up the gangplank, see all that grain, and jump in.
Their buddies come, and it looks like a picnic, so they join in.
When they try to jump out, they can get no traction.

Then I would show up with a mean barn cat for the mice or a Jack Russell for the rats.

But I always preferred to stalk and shoot the rats myself, with a revolver, and still do.
Besides, we had enough copperheads and rattlesnakes that rats seldom made it far. I only got the leftovers.

 

[Overlay]

Not wanting to use rodenticide, the quickest way to gain control and reduce numbers would be to encourage the rodents to feed a specific area close to the coop by using the chicken pellet/ wheat based food, take up the chicken food in the coop each night and place some food like a 2 metre long line X. This will encourage all orders of the rats to come out to feed on the cross(es )

Sit up with an air rifle and NV you'll have some cracking sport and wipe out the rats as well

Good luck

Atb

Phil

 

[Krico308]

We have had success by following their runs and finding their burrows, then soaking bits of rag in creosote and poking them down the burrows - made them clear off somewhere else.

 

[49ERIC]

We have had success by following their runs and finding their burrows, then soaking bits of rag in creosote and poking them down the burrows - made them clear off somewhere else.

VERY good stuff is creosote or was ,, no longer on sale , or UNLESS any one knows ware its still for sale ??

 

[nun_hunter]

VERY good stuff is creosote or was ,, no longer on sale , or UNLESS any one knows ware its still for sale ??

Anyone in the trade can buy it just not for domestic use hence most places only sell it in 20 gallons or more. There are a few places that will sell it in smaller amounts but you'd need to ask around your local area.

 

[shakey jake]

Using chemical not as they are intended is why so many are withdrawn from sale creasote is a wood treatment for professional use not a rodent treatment personally I'd use a second gen rodenticide baiting the holes then covering to stop non target access checked morning and evening rebaiting until it stops getting taken by the rats if you pet or live stock get any they can be treated with an antidote at any vets alpachloralose works fastest on mice it can lead to bait shyness in rats and as far as I am aware has no antidote but if the op doesn't like poison you need to look at why they are there as well as how to get rid
Good luy Jake

 

[FrenchieBoy]

Thanks for the advice so far guys.
In answer to the questions/point about using poisons - I have never been keen on using any type of poison and nor is the landowner. We both believe that no matter how carefully it is used it can have an adverse effect on the other wildlife in the area i.e. songbirds and birds of prey etc, plus there is always a chance that the owners cat or one of her dogs (Or my dog come to that) could pick up a rat that has ingested some of the poison without us realising it which could prove fatal. I have no problem with those who wish to use poisons to control vermin but poison is not for me, it's as simple as that so poison is out of the question!
As for lifting the poultry sheds to access the borrows with terriers, ferrets or whatever, that is not possible because of the sheer size of the sheds. They are sat on a base of breeze blocks which the rats seem to have burrowed under.
The landowner had a fox problem a couple of years ago which I dealt with and she has not lost a bird to foxes for over a year now,. She also had a mink show up and killed a few of her ducks which I also dealt with pretty quickly and has had no other mink show since. As such she has a degree of confidence in me and my judgement and I don't want to let her down. We are both concerned about the wildlife, conservation and the environment and are trying to make her little bit of land as wildlife friendly as possible, with that in mind I feel that carefully placed and set traps of some sort are the only viable option, be it cage traps or snap traps (Set in tunnels) and this is what I feel I should be focussing on.

 

[Norfolk Horn]

I have stock and chickens so to have problems with rats at time. I have never had much success with cage traps on rats but have dealt with plenty of rats with Fenn traps placed in appropriate tunnels.
One thing I have found is you can place a nice smelling bait like chocolate spread on/under the trap so incouraging the rat to investigate the trap if it cannot be placed directly on the runs
Hope this help
NH

 

[teyhan1]

Thanks for the advice so far guys.
In answer to the questions/point about using poisons - I have never been keen on using any type of poison and nor is the landowner. We both believe that no matter how carefully it is used it can have an adverse effect on the other wildlife in the area i.e. songbirds and birds of prey etc, plus there is always a chance that the owners cat or one of her dogs (Or my dog come to that) could pick up a rat that has ingested some of the poison without us realising it which could prove fatal. I have no problem with those who wish to use poisons to control vermin but poison is not for me, it's as simple as that so poison is out of the question!

Whilst I accept that poisons may not be for you, there is a very good reason that I recommended Warfarin.
It is firstly a multiple dose poison. Any non target animal can simply not eat enough on one sitting to kill it.
Secondly, it is also a bait which minimises any risk of secondary poisoning.

Sadly it is a bait which was taken over by the stampede for a quicker poison. People wrongly believe that poison resistance is widespread. But I can tell you Warfarin works, when used correctly.
Also with proper bait management, any risk to non target animals should be minimal, if at all.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

I have stock and chickens so to have problems with rats at time. I have never had much success with cage traps on rats but have dealt with plenty of rats with Fenn traps placed in appropriate tunnels.
One thing I have found is you can place a nice smelling bait like chocolate spread on/under the trap so incouraging the rat to investigate the trap if it cannot be placed directly on the runs
Hope this help
NH

That is a great help,many thanks!
I have just ordered some heavy duty snap traps (Which I plan on setting in tunnels/lengths of drain pipe) and will shortly be looking at the price of fenn traps.

 

[FrenchieBoy]

Whilst I accept that poisons may not be for you, there is a very good reason that I recommended Warfarin.
It is firstly a multiple dose poison. Any non target animal can simply not eat enough on one sitting to kill it.
Secondly, it is also a bait which minimises any risk of secondary poisoning.

Sadly it is a bait which was taken over by the stampede for a quicker poison. People wrongly believe that poison resistance is widespread. But I can tell you Warfarin works, when used correctly.
Also with proper bait management, any risk to non target animals should be minimal, if at all.

I understand what you are saying but regardless of my own opinions the landowner is adamant that poisons must not be used on her land.
Even so I appreciate your explanation, many thanks!

 

[nun_hunter]

Whilst I accept that poisons may not be for you, there is a very good reason that I recommended Warfarin.
It is firstly a multiple dose poison. Any non target animal can simply not eat enough on one sitting to kill it.
Secondly, it is also a bait which minimises any risk of secondary poisoning.

Sadly it is a bait which was taken over by the stampede for a quicker poison. People wrongly believe that poison resistance is widespread. But I can tell you Warfarin works, when used correctly.
Also with proper bait management, any risk to non target animals should be minimal, if at all.

As far as I'm aware you can't use warfarin as of earlier this year, you could still use it if you had the relevant paperwork but by now I'm pretty sure that isn't the case. I found this out while trying to sort out a load of grey squirrels.

 

[Cyres]

Well its taken nearly a month to resolve my ratty issue, resorted to Jaguar bait wired to wooden bases.It is very effective. This week my fenn traps were returned so i will have them set up in tunnels. I build a tunnel box and use 3" square rain water pipe to guide rat over centre of fenn trap which is lightly covered in saw dust. Even better is to use a longer length of pipe and get the rats used to running up it. In this way you can place two or more fenns in a line and multi catch. issue is likely to be you will be very busy emptying them. In most cases your rat problem will be far larger than you suspect. Also if you can borrow a thermal it will give yoy a good idea of how many rats are moving in the dark.

D