[Ganderbox]

I've just joined the forum, and I'm hoping somebody will be able to give me some advice.

I've got a half-acre field which has had hens, ducks, geese and guinea fowl in it for the last 12 years, maybe about 50-60 birds on average, although less than that at present. I've done very little in terms of management in that time apart from fill in some of the dustbaths, and very occasionally mow or strim parts of it. Mostly the birds (with much assistance from the thriving local rabbit population) keep the grass down.

The whole field is enclosed by electric netting which is very effective at keeping foxes out, but it also provides a safe haven for mice and voles, and they have riddled large areas with holes. These are the less-used parts of the field, which are also very, very tussocky. Everytime I walk around there I risk spraining an ankle! The mice seem to make circular pathways, leaving tussocks of grass sitting like raised islands.

I intend to move the fence to reduce the enclosed area and hopefully the foxes will then help to evict the rodents, but I'm not sure of the best way to repair the damage. A rotovator (which I don't have) might be the answer, but the tussocks are quite big and tough and I'm not sure what machine would cope. 
Has anybody got any suggestions, please, as to how I can tackle this?

Pauline from Bodmin Moor

[Simple Simon]

I'm new too.  Theres a post just before this "plough then rotovate" etc which is useful

1. Get a terrier.  You won't see him for two days after you slip his lead...
2. A chain harrow should make some impact but it sounds like your holes are quite big
3. My local groundcare dealer will rent a compact tractor with a rotator/stone burrier by the day.  The two-wheel tractor version is easier to hire but hard work.

Depends what you want to achieve.  Rotavating will give you a perfect seedbed to start again with, otherwise you could buy some soil and fill the holes then chain harrow.

First test your soil chemistry.

[Sylvia]

Are they rabbit holes? get someone to plough it .

[katie]

We had this a few years ago when we first took over our land. We ran sheep on it and the holes just disappeared over time.