Who steals ducklings from under a duck: can a rat eat a chick and how to fight

Ducks are very funny birds. Growing them is a pleasure. They do not fight, do not run away quickly from the owners, do not fly over the fence into the street. Ducks quack cutely, rinse their food in the water to self-forgetfulness. Children love them very much. And chicks are always more charming than adult birds. But sometimes they disappear, as if dissolving into thin air. Who steals ducklings, even from under a duck?

Can rats eat ducklings?

The most common are gray rodents. Their body length reaches 30 cm, and weight - 0.5 kg. Rats are omnivores. They also like the food that is fed to animals, and the animals themselves make them an appetite attack.If, looking at pigs, adult geese and other large living creatures, they can only lick their lips, then their conversation with ducklings can be short.

Unfortunately, even the presence of a mother duck most often will not protect the babies. A bird cannot compete with a rat in speed. In a matter of seconds, the rodent plunges sharp teeth that gnaw through metal into the throat of a duckling. In addition, the rat is difficult to scare. She is not afraid of outstretched wings or a pinch of a rounded beak. If ducklings disappeared from the barn at night, most likely, a rat was visiting there.

How to deal with a pest in the barn

If the quality of the construction of the barn is comparable to decent human housing, then the problem with the theft of chicks may not arise. Of course, a rat and concrete are tough. In order for her not to sharpen them about him, it is better to add broken glass to the foundation in advance. If the ducks live in a wooden structure, the rat can get through both the wall and the roof. You can try to dig half a meter into the ground around the walls with a fine mesh netting or iron sheets.It is important to understand how the rodent enters the barn, to find holes.

There are many other ways to deal with gray assassins:

• traps;
• sticky plant fruits;
• poison;
• cat;
• dog.

Rats rarely go into traps. But if a little rat falls into the trap, the rest of the animals will leave. Scientists consider rats to be one of the most intelligent representatives of the fauna. A smart device can work with them. They install a bar swinging according to the principle of the simplest children's swing. One end is lowered to the floor. The weight of the board is such that a rat climbing it begins to lower the opposite end with a fragrant bait.A water tank is installed under this structure.

Water is poured so much that the rodent is guaranteed not to get out. Of course, think about how to position the device without endangering the birds.

Scattered burdock fruits, light yellow scabiosa, milk thistle, hyssopolis bassia cling to the animal's fur with their sharp or hook-shaped outgrowths, forcing him to refuse to visit such a place.

In order for the rat not to eat the duckling, they slip grain or a piece of cheese, sausages with poison into it. Nuts are also good. Such a bait can be placed in a heavy box with slots on both sides or drilled holes according to the size of the animal (8-10 cm wide). Holes are made at a height inaccessible to ducklings. The cat needs to be monitored to see if she eats the chicks herself. The dog will have to train.

Recommended