Author Topic: Rats stealing eggs (Read 18997 times)

sabrina · « **Reply #15 on:** November 19, 2011, 09:04:38 am »

crow took 30 eggs in one day this summer. I had them ready to box up and intended to do that evening, we caught it on camera.

Plantoid · « **Reply #16 on:** November 21, 2011, 01:44:39 am »

Quote from: tazbabe on November 19, 2011, 07:20:09 am

i've been pondering the same question. there are rat holes in the goose run (they have indoor and outdoor facilities) same with the ducks, and often there is a bit of a commotion in the early dawn, and i am guessing that it is the rats annoying them.

the hens are shut up into their shed, overnight, so the eggs they lay first thing i collect when i let them uot. i have 11 hens, and production has been quite scanty lately, which i was putting down to the time of year. although only one is in moult, the rest of the right agegroup look like they should be laying. 4 of them are young, 2 of which are now in lay, so production is better, yay!

one of the older hens was in the habit of laying under a tree, i deliberately left an egg there ofernight, and it was gone in the morning, so something is definately stealing! we have witnessed crows flying off with eggs, but not for a while, the population is reduced, can't think why! (bang bang)

so, the rats don't have access to the eggs at night, the ducks are not laying, and the geese lay during the day and i collect promptly. but i would like to set traps, get rid of them, need to devise a way of putting traps near the holes without the ducks and geese getting caught in them!

Make a four foot long three sided wooden tunnel that will covery your set rat trap and then place it along side a wall or hedge by the hen house . check it daily , wear rubber gloves when setting the trap , use a hook on a stick to lift the tunnel so you don't refresh or put your scents on the tunnel .

One thing I've always understood from the word go is that if you see one rat or more you do actually have an infestation that can give you 13 baby rats every 19 to 28 days and in just over five weeks time those babies will also start to try and breed .

tazbabe · « **Reply #17 on:** November 21, 2011, 07:04:44 am »

thank you for this advise!

it has had me thinking, in the 'scrap wood for burning' pile, there is just such a construction! the rat holes are against the wall of the runs, inside, so if i securly peg this box over the hole with the trap iside hopefully i will start catching.

i did buy a trap a while ago, but not worked out a way to safely use it yet. what is the best bait to put on it?

that breeding info makes me realise i best get on with this!!

jaykay · « **Reply #18 on:** November 21, 2011, 07:08:20 am »

Quote

One thing I've always understood from the word go is that if you see one rat or more you do actually have an infestation that can give you 13 baby rats every 19 to 28 days and in just over five weeks time those babies will also start to try and breed .

OMG

FiB · « **Reply #19 on:** November 21, 2011, 09:23:22 am »

Quote from: jaykay on November 21, 2011, 07:08:20 am

Quote
One thing I've always understood from the word go is that if you see one rat or more you do actually have an infestation that can give you 13 baby rats every 19 to 28 days and in just over five weeks time those babies will also start to try and breed .
OMG

Indeed! AND we've got them in our loft. Very swift action, go to top of very long 'TO DO' list! Thanks. Also are there any sonic devices that are worth buying (we a couple oof the very small ones plugged into loft - no efffect at all, but one of the loft ones I've seen looks a lot beefier and louder! (not sure how something can look louder

)

robert waddell · « **Reply #20 on:** November 21, 2011, 10:02:54 am »

the sonic devices don't work
with a cage trap they send the young ones in to get the food and escape out the mesh holes
if you catch a rat that will be the last one you catch at that site they will never use that run again
the breeder rats are protected by the younger ones that is why it is always small or half grown ones you catch
some of the poisons work by sticking to there feet and rats are very clean always preening and licking soooooo coal tar creosote down there tunnels job done

jaykay · « **Reply #21 on:** November 21, 2011, 11:27:39 am »

Yeh, if the sonic devices worked, no-one would ever have rats in their buildings would they.
I'm finding the 'one-dose' poison I've put down is being taken well. Of course, the rats always then choose crawl into the house walls to die

and I'm worried about killing mice too which then the chickens eat.....

humphreymctush · « **Reply #22 on:** November 21, 2011, 02:35:03 pm »

I was told by someone that they saw a rat laying on its back cluching an egg against its tummy while another rat dragged it along by the tail towards their hole. Believe it if you like.

robert waddell · « **Reply #23 on:** November 21, 2011, 03:02:12 pm »

possible but highly unlikely that is exposing two rats to danger i know if i were to see this i would make the best effort to get at least one of them obviously they have not been used to getting hunted a bit like the temple rats it would not be me easy pickings if i was there