Ducks are very funny birds. Growing them is a pleasure. They don’t fight, don’t quickly run away from their owners, and don’t fly over the fence into the street. The ducks quack sweetly and rinse their food in the water until they forget themselves. 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 right from under the duck?
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Can rats eat a duckling?
The most common are gray rodents. Their body length reaches 30 cm, and their weight is 0.5 kg. Rats are omnivores. They like the food that is fed to the animals, and the animals themselves give them a burst of appetite.If, looking at pigs, adult geese and other large animals, they can only lick their lips, then their conversation with ducklings may 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 sinks its sharp, metal-chewing teeth into the duckling's throat. In addition, it is difficult to scare a rat. She is not afraid of outstretched wings or the pinch of a rounded beak. If ducklings disappeared from the barn at night, most likely there was a rat staying there.
How to deal with pests in a barn
If the quality of the construction of the barn is comparable to decent human housing, then the problem of theft of chicks may not arise. Of course, a rat is too tough for concrete. To prevent her from sharpening them on it, it is better to add broken glass to the foundation in advance. If ducks live in a wooden structure, the rat can enter through both the wall and the roof. You can try digging a fine netting mesh or iron sheets half a meter into the ground around the walls. It is important to understand how the rodent gets into the barn and find holes.
There are many other ways to combat gray killers:
- traps;
- sticky plant fruits;
- poison;
- cat;
- dog.
Rats rarely go into traps. But if a little rat gets caught in 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. Install a bar that swings according to the principle of a simple children's swing. One end of it is lowered to the floor. The weight of the board is such that the rat climbing it begins to lower the opposite end with the fragrant bait. A container of water is installed under this structure.
Scattered fruits of burdock, light yellow scabiosa, milk thistle, and bassia issopolista cling to the animal's fur with their sharp or hook-shaped outgrowths, forcing it to refuse to visit such a place.
To prevent the rat from eating the duckling, grain or a piece of cheese or sausage with poison is slipped into it. Nuts are also good to eat. Such a bait can be placed in a heavy box with slits on both sides or drilled holes according to the size of the animal (8-10 cm wide). The holes are made at a height inaccessible to ducklings. You need to keep an eye on the cat to see if she eats the chicks herself. The dog will have to be trained.
