Rats: I've had to stop feeding

[griffgrouch]

Poor Gold finches waiting for their fix of Niger, etc.

Suddenly I appear to have new guests to the garden. I looked out the other day and counted nine, in broad daylight.

Bloody things, I like feeding the birds. I hope I can restart at some point in the future.

[Gill Catton]

I wouldn't worry - there's lots of wildfood out there at the moment the birds will be fine

[Digit]

This may sound like a daft question, but why?
Rat proofing a feeding station should not be too difficult.

Roy.

[bobbarber]

Hello griffgrouch, hygiene is most important when feeding birds. Do you clean up under the feeders? Do you ground feed the birds? Ground feeding will encourage rats if you put down more food than the birds can eat in a reasonable amount of time. Rats are opportunist feeders and will go elsewhere if no food is available. I had this problem last year and stopped feeding for about a week with no apparent harm to nesting birds as I garden with wildlife in mind, and the rats went back to the fields whence they came ...Bob

[nightshade]

Use your garden and they will clear off, check the out of the way places for digging they may have decided to nest

[griffgrouch]

Originally Posted by nightshade

Use your garden and they will clear off, check the out of the way places for digging they may have decided to nest

I know where they are. They are at a residence in the adjacent street, he used to put 'For Sale' boards up for estate agents and has hundreds of them stacked up behind my property. The rats are coming up over the wall.

I have told him about the rats but he doesn't seem that bothered.

[nightshade]

That sounds like a case for your Council to sort out get them involved now

[briansheffield]

yes i had to get the council in to get rid also next door had them
but now gone try to put just enough food out for the birds and dont leave any food over night

[griffgrouch]

These Rats run around all day.