[Cosmore]

Has anyone else experienced a dramatic increase in the rat population this year? Rats will usually always appear where livestock and poultry are kept, but numbers can normally be kept down with the safe use of poisons except when they have become the so called 'super rats' that tolerate poison without much effect.  However, despite using different professional poisons with some sucess this year, the population has increased exponentially so I guess that they are indeed becoming resistant to it. I have now resorted to shooting them as well, so far in 4 days I've accounted for 40 rats of various sizes (plus the big one that tried to get into the pigs trough while they were eating and was promptly trodden on by a pig - well done Daisy! . There are a few more to get so I suppose it's off to get some more cartridges, at least they are cheaper than the poison!
Also, interestingly I've noticed the 'arrival' of a large contingent of Jackdaws this year, not seen them here before, i've counted up to a dozen trying to grab some of the goose food.

[harmony]

We find rats come and go so suddenly you can have a population explosion. I read recently that we don't put down enough poison as we under estimate how many rats we have and we don't put poison down for long enough. That was from a professional rat catcher.


We also find they go through stages of taking bait then not taking it although we know they are around.


Good luck with the shooting. At least they don't die out of sight and stink to high heaven!

[jward]

We've got a few more than usual but not as many as we did have one year previously.  We've found the only way to kill any number is to shoot them too.  Poison...they seem to be immune.  Traps...they're too big for them.  My sheepdog does a good job at getting the smaller ones and some big ones.  Also we find them dead in water buckets and sometimes the horses will squash the odd one.  Wish we could get rid of the rats once and for all though.

[Roxy]

Yes, I have been horrified by the amount of rats.  Seen them by the pigs, the hens, even in our blooming garden., But the cats have been catching them, and I think ....well hope, they have got all if not most of them.  There again, they only need to miss two, and off we go again. Think the mild winter we had meant more survived and bred.  Its a phobia of mine, one think that freaks me out is rats.

[Kimbo]

Im 100% with you Roxy. I have nightmares about them. Its the ONLY thing I hate about being a smallholder.
What the F*** are they for anyway?
HATE them

[sabrina]

My cats are quite good at getting them and the Jack Russell. I did put down poison hidden in a drain pipe but they never went near. Clever we creatures.

[hexhammeasure]

I had an explosion in rats last year but poisoning  as well as clearing all the rubbish the could hide under - (except for 2 small areas which we keep well baited) managed to move them on- Not seen any signs since february touch wood...

[Marches Farmer]

There will be another ten for every one that you see.  I bait all year round and leave a 30cm gap around the inside of barns to encourage them to use them as "corridors" for getting around - ideal place to put bait stations.  I also mix bait with a little of the feed in the sacks as I find they accept it more quickly.

[Eve]

Same here this year, getting through so much poison we can't believe it's only rats taking it! 


And yes, lots of jackdaws too.

[nicandem]

got a 'stray/semi feral' cat from the cat rescue   to see if it will help..... meant to keep in a shed for first 2 weeks, but it scratched its way out of shed first night, but is coming back each night for food (seen on trail cam)
hopefully getting a few rats and mice.


lots of the rescue places offer them as mousers and next to no work to keep as they don't want contact

[Marches Farmer]

Do bear in mind that they may carry toxo and infect your sheep and cattle and, indeed, children and pregnant women.

[Womble]

I didn't think that adult cats spread toxo, but I could be wrong.

We have cats, and have also seen a couple of rats this year (never had them before).  They're very trap-shy though.

I haven't tried poison yet, as we have cats and dogs who I worry might eat any dead ones they come across.  Is there a rat poison available that won't cause secondary poisoning?  (I asked in the agricultural store, but was told no).

[Thyme]

My understanding is that cats shed toxo only for a few weeks after they are first exposed to it, and after that generally develop immunity.  So I figure my sheep are in fact safer from toxo with my cats around, because mine have almost certainly been exposed and are well past shedding it and now immune, and they will keep strange cats away who might be in the shedding phase.  And my two are enthusiastic hunters and I have yet to see a rat.

Here's a link.

[Cosmore]

Update - Goods news here, after a concerted combined effort of both shooting and poisoning (using proper bait stations) no rats or evidence of rat activity seen for several weeks now. All runs/tracks grown over, holes collapsed after rain, no feed taken, rat bait untouched. .
So I guess I'm all clear at the moment but as the saying goes 'nature abhors a vacuum' so I'm keeping on guard as others are bound to try to move in sooner or later - it's a constant war. .

[Marches Farmer]

If you're in an area with arable fields they'll be coming in off the fields after harvest.  That's the time to lay loads of bait and nip the overwintering families in the bud.