we are fighting a loosing battle against rats

[startinghandle]

sometime ago I posted a thread here saying I was in local merchant and the woman serving at counter was telling customer that to buy rat bait from next year a certificate would be needed, I have just been there and the guy at counter was saying the strength of all rat bait is going to be reduced,even now with full strength bait rats are getting immune so look out

 

[happycows]

Good quality air rifle and more importantly scope, few feeding points for 2 nights and a little time....... which you might actually enjoy.
Make reducing your rat population a bit of satisfying fun. Beats crap telly..

 

[happycows]

God forbid it ever gets anywhere near this....

 

[Pilgrimmick]

Not seen a rat on the farm in the last eight years! Healthy population of predators to keep any visitors away.

 

[Steevo]

You shouldn't have a problem with resistance if you swap to single feed rat baits.

Farm assurance covers you to buy professional products for a while longer. https://bpca.org.uk/News/eleven-ass...-the-uk-rodenticide-stewardship-regime/189766

 

[Lincs Lass]

Havent got rid of everyone but a big % of them have gone from this yard ,,plenty of poison ,a big clear out of the hiding places and a few nights with the air rifle has made a good dent in the numbers

 

[Traffic dodger]

What sort of distance do you need to be with an air rifle to kill a rat ?

 

[happycows]

What sort of distance do you need to be with an air rifle to kill a rat ?

I’d probably have 80% hit at 45ft or 3 bays away.
Ps I’m not tgat good a shot!

 

[Pilgrimmick]

What sort of distance do you need to be with an air rifle to kill a rat ?

If using the air rifle to kill the rats, a couple of feet away is good. Best to hold the barrel and club them with the stock.

Most people however kill the rats using the pellets, these can kill a rat 30m away with a good rifle, though 15-25m covers most rifles.

 

[Cowcalf]

shooting may be good sport but it is never going to get control of a rat problem, just may reduce it.

 

[Lincs Lass]

What sort of distance do you need to be with an air rifle to kill a rat ?

More depend on the rifle and who ever is behind it .
Ive got Weihrauch HW80 with hawk scopes and silencer and use these pellets .
Stops them dead

 

[Traffic dodger]

I guess as the rat is shot not poisoned , if you have owls about the farm it could be left as food for them to eat.

 

[happycows]

shooting may be good sport but it is never going to get control of a rat problem, just may reduce it.

Can’t Agree. I’ve done nothing other than shoot them for 6 years. If there’s lots of places ie. pallets etc for them too hide and food everywhere you’ll struggle. All food here is in one place and try too keep it tidy. Roller doors on the front etc. If you do nothing for 8 weeks they’ll come back but keep on top of them and it’s fine. Same could be said for baiting though.

 

[lazy farmer]

apparently the problem will soon be solved by science. not sure of the exact details but apparently they are trailing products that will just produce male off spring. within 10 generations they will die out.

 

[phillipe]

Missus bought 2 cats ,rats dont last long ,they have bought some huge kills in ,before the cats ,had a neighbour who put food out everynight too feed them.new neighbours ,had a chat he bought a air rifle ,we sat there for a fortnight slurping cider shooting rats for fun ,shot a couple of hundred ,he also got a cat and we have thinned them out fairish

 

[milkloss]

Missus bought 2 cats ,rats dont last long ,they have bought some huge kills in ,before the cats ,had a neighbour who put food out everynight too feed them.new neighbours ,had a chat he bought a air rifle ,we sat there for a fortnight slurping cider shooting rats for fun ,shot a couple of hundred ,he also got a cat and we have thinned them out fairish

It’s whne they bring them in half dead and they get up and run off behind the sofa

 

[Ray996]

apparently the problem will soon be solved by science. not sure of the exact details but apparently they are trailing products that will just produce male off spring. within 10 generations they will die out.

What is most effective bait for rats,the wee blighters are taking it away and hiding bait blocks,tried grain bait and they covering it in straw and leaves.smart rats in our sheds

 

[suffolksmallholder]

apparently the problem will soon be solved by science. not sure of the exact details but apparently they are trailing products that will just produce male off spring. within 10 generations they will die out.

Mmm, not sure I'd like that getting in the water system. Folk wondered why fish were all female near the outfall of sewage treatment plants. Certain treatments used in plastic were responsible......It doesn't take much to work this thing forward!
SS

 

[milkloss]

What is most effective bait for rats,the wee blighters are taking it away and hiding bait blocks,tried grain bait and they covering it in straw and leaves.smart rats in our sheds

Always fix blocks down. I use ht wire and thread five or six blocks on and hook the ends over something. If you don’t they carry as many away as they can and they go off and the rats never eat them.
Red blocks aniseed tasting, good for pheasant feeders etc.
Green usually pasta tasting - most successful here
Blue is one feed kill and peanut based very often so dogs love it. Can kill a dog with one feed too so be careful and the reason we don’t use it.

Edit: get some bait boxes for a tenner online. Rats nibble away in comfort and out of sight.

 

[Ray996]

Always fix blocks down. I use ht wire and thread giveback or six blocks on and hook the ends over something. If you don’t they carry as many away as they can and they go off and the rats never eat them.
Red blocks aniseed tasting, good for pheasant feeders etc.
Green usually pasta tasting - most successful here
Blue is one feed kill and peanut based very often so dogs love it. Can kill a dog with one feed too so be careful and the reason we don’t use it.

Edit: get some bait boxes for a tenner online. Rats nibble away in comfort and out of sight.

The blighters blocked the bait box even