Pigeon Feeding & Rodents

[dekebrent]

What a title for a posting, eh? Wanted to check to see if anyone has any advice on the following situation. I feed a flock of about 25-30 (growing daily, it seems) in my backyard, which is fenced in. I live in a city environment. However, I've noticed on occasion that a few rats have burrowed under my fence and have attempted to join the flock at feeding time. The pigeons usually crowd the rats out, so no worries there. But after the pigeons leave, the rats will stick around for scraps, and have begun burrowing under my deck, which I'm sure is a prelude for an attempt to enter the house. Any advice, as always, would be appreciated.

[Trees Gray]

It seems like bird food draws rats and mice, as we have also been frequented bythese visitors. We did not attract them on purpose either, but our birds flick their seeds out of the feeders and into the ground underneath their coop. We did not want to draw attention from the neighbors, because if they complained then the city would get involved.

Without putting poison out, I would cut back on the feed so that the pigeons finish everything and leave nothing behind. If they are burrowing under your deck, they are having babies and increasing their numbers.

Treesa

[dekebrent]

Treesa -- Thanks. I was thinking along those lines, including remaining outside w/ the pigeons while they eat. The pigeons don't mind my company, and the rats seems to stay away when I'm outside.

[John_D]

They will try to dig their burrows to come up where the food is, too. Which is why we have tough, underwired floors for our pigeons.

If you can get humane traps and 'relocate' them, it would be the best way, but they are very smart critters! First, you'd need to ensure that food was not lying around on the ground. Covered feeders which are stood in large round or square trays to avoid the pigeons throwing seed from feeders onto the ground itself, and which can be taken in after feeding time/at night would hopefully deprive the rats of a ready meal and maybe encourage them to try getting food from the trap(s).

John