AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

It is good to know someone is takling the problem because the buggers drive me crazy and I hate using baits

The use of ultrasonic rodent repellants is very interesting.

All the reports that I have heard, both first hand and second hand, over 10 + years have been that they are a total waste of time and money.

Yet Wickedwings and others here have suggested they work well for them.

Hmmm.... I guess all you can do is buy one and try it. There are many brands. I wonder if the frequency they work at differs. I know some have changing frequencies to stop the pests becoming used to the one frequency.

I also wonder whether the frequency has any effects on all our birds we keep. I know they claim to be safe but what does that mean? Have they tried it on poultry, parrots, canaries, pigeons? If so for how long? Have they tested it during the breeding season? etc etc.

At the end of the day, rodents are a big problem and if US repellants work for you and the birds appear to be unaffected then I would keep using them.

As for the Grandpa's Feeders, they look like a nice feeder but there is no way they will stop rats or mice getting onto the exposed seed area to stop them soiling the seed. I think you need to stop them from getting onto the feeder in the first place- which really means keeping them out of the pen- that's the real challenge. Pen design and construction are all important IMO.

Parvo, I think you'll find with the Grandpa Feeders that the raised flap closes over the exposed feed when they are not in use. They have a treadle that the birds must stand on to open the feeder, I expect your chook would have to be above a certain weight to trigger the mechanism.

As for the ultrasonic pest controllers, I only have experience using them in the house, I don't know how they would go in the chook house so I can't vouch for their use there. I did wonder initially if the cat would have a problem with it in the house but there seem to have been no ill effects even when he sits right beside it, though sometimes you'd have to put a bomb under him to rouse him.

Thanks WW for the explanation.

Keeping the rodents out of the house is a great start anyway!!