OT Rats

Anonymous-0 · Jul 23, 2008

Guys- is there anything to use to get rid of rats in my silage. Don't want to put poisons in the cattle feed. Wondering if there are any natural or herbal substances that would work that are safe for the cows.

old · Jul 23, 2008

Thats what barn cat are for. Ever since some one dropped off a cat here years ago I have not seen many mice or rats, other then out in the hay field. But the problem is now I have more cats in the barn then I ever had mice or rats. If it didn't cost $35 a pop to have them fixed I would be fixing them but that adds up fast

Anonymous-0 · Jul 23, 2008

It's a pretty rare barn cat that'll take out a rat. You do indeed have a problem. Grain and silege fed dairy farm rats are too well fed to be interested in poison. My brother has the same problem, but even worse this year as he has feed in bags. We had an English Shepard/Collie in years past who really took care of 'em....A couple shakes of her head and their neck was broken. Such a dog or lead to the head are the best solutions I know of.

I guess their is some powerful poison (powder) which you can spread out. The rats walk through it and go back to their den. Upon arrivibg in their den they groom themselves (lick off their paws) and are VERY soon dead. I think the poison may be available through Orkan (spell?).

Glenn F.

old · Jul 23, 2008

You most have monster rats or pis$ poor cats. I have seen more then one of my barn cats with a rat and the rat lost the battle. But I also know some of my barn cats have simiese in them and that breed of cat was bread just for killing rats

730 virgil · Jul 23, 2008

old does your vet have a discount for farm cats?
ours does makes a bid difference.

duane from Montana · Jul 23, 2008

We dont have Rats out in this country. But i have heard of a remedy used years back . Ordinary lye. Their feet are always wet and when they cgo through the lye it sticks to thir feet and when then lick it off it eats their insides out. Just what i have heard.

old · Jul 23, 2008

The shelter does have one day a week or month that you can have it done for $10 but they do not tell any body which day and its hard as pulling teeth to find out. And even at $10 each that adds up to fast when you have 15-20 cats in the barn

Anonymous-0 · Jul 24, 2008

(quoted from post at 19:28:48 07/23/08) Guys- is there anything to use to get rid of rats in my silage. Don't want to put poisons in the cattle feed. Wondering if there are any natural or herbal substances that would work that are safe for the cows.

Not trying to be funny, but a Rat Terrier could be the ticket. We have rats in the back yard and sometimes in the barn and a few hamsters. Our Australian Sheperds keep them under control pretty well but they are too big to get in some tight places. Had a mini schnauzer a long time ago that was better than any cat at mousing. She wouldn't eat them, just kill them and lay them in front of the door.

Dave

Fergienewbee · Jul 24, 2008

My late Uncle Ivan used to get cats when the mice built up and then culled the cats when the mouse population declined. Free-roaming cats devestate rabbits and birds. My neighbors cats are always on our property. Some get back home and some don't.

Larry in Michigan

Aaron Ford · Jul 24, 2008

I have heard that mashed potatoes in a box fed dry will kill 'em. They eat too much and when they drink, poof. Also a 5 gallon trap seems to work well. Cannot remember the particulars, but the basis was a rod run through the bucket with a baited lever. When the rodent tried to jump down, it spun and dropped them into a half bucket of water.

Gotta agree with the spayed female cat idea. If they don't kill 'em, they will certainly harrass them enough to leave, ie. killing young.

Aaron

NEsota · Jul 24, 2008

Years ago we had a commercial liquid rat poison; it may or may not still be available. We got the rats used to drinking from a water trough, when the water use leveled off we added the poison and got a terrific kill.

phil lowe · Jul 24, 2008

little story bout rats.
When we were kids a friend had dog kennels ,raising german shepards.Well the rats used to get into the dog food ,so we would sit in the barn(Kennel) with our pellet guns,nice and quite ,like we were deer hunting and pick em off when they came out of their holes.Well one night I looked out of the corner of my eye and saw a rat as big as any ol cat,actually bout the size of a rabbit.He just sat there staring at me,,,I was to afraid to shoot him with my lil pellet gun ,cause I didn't think it would a killed him ..
Turned my eye away for a sec and he was gone ,,and right after so was I ,now my friend place was right next to a horse racing track and a small river,so I was told that was a big ol river rat..
I've since seen some big Harbour rats in our beautiful cities downtown core,late at night ,but nothing as big as the one I saw that night..I can still feel his beady black eyes staring at me now..

Kelly C · Jul 24, 2008

I feel your pain. I think we have 20 or so now.
We lose a few to the road every now and then. Usually the one I like :-(
But every one knows we have cats so for every one we lose. A new one shows up. Must be those 2 am pit stops at the end of the drive. Hear the car door open, hear the car door close... Varooom.
Next day a new cat lookin for food.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 24, 2008

If you are feeding the cats, which you should be doing, and not depending them to feed off the rats and mice. That gets expensive also.You need to do something to control the cat population. Stan

old · Jul 24, 2008

WE have tried but it seems every time we fix one a new one shows up and the cycle just starts over again. Yes we do feed them but not so much that they stop hunting for food either

Anonymous-0 · Jul 24, 2008

1) One of the big commercial chicken coops in my area were known to have "gangs" of mid-teen age kids (14/15/16) with guns who'd work the four coops once a month. 400' or so long coops...they'd set up the ambush on one end, then turn the lights on in the opposite end and catch many of the rats as they moved back towards the darker side. Then reverse the procedure. They'd end spending a couple hours one night each month in a coop. Probably violated half a dozen child labor laws and most things held sacred by bleeding heart liberals...but the kids had fun and enjoyed the bit of extra cash.

2) Story from a friend out west. They had just worked for 90 minutes to extricate a guy who flipped his car down a bank and landed upside down in a stream.

As they're packing up afterwards, a bear comes out of the woods and takes a look at the activity.

The Deputy pulls his pistol half way out of the holster, then says, "Ah frack it, I'd just p!ss him off." And slid the pistol back into the holster. Bear ambled off after a few minutes.

dcarp · Jul 24, 2008

Try a Jack Russell. But watch out they will kill anything with fur. Rats, Cats, whatever.
Very strong for their size, great hunters, never give up. But like I said they don't like ANYTHING with fur.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Jul 24, 2008

I'm with old on this one. Just don't feed the barn cats too much and they'll go after anything with 4 legs and fur or feathers. My wife likes them around because they keep the rabbits out of the flowers.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 24, 2008

It is an election year ,rats are everywhere! Vote them out ! lol

Unruh · Jul 24, 2008

If your silage is in a bag, can you tie off an anhydrous ammonia hose in there and expand their lungs? I know it works under a grainery. Find out first if the anhydrous is compatable with the cow feed!

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