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  • Fuming!

    I'm livid.

    This morning we received a letter from the council saying 'a rat' had been spotted in our village a while ago and the rat man has been around to look at the village. He believes that as 'we alone in the village keep chickens' it is our chook keeping that has encouraged the rat (singular)

    He hasn't looked very far. This is a sizeable village, now they've built all the new homes, and we know of at least two dozen other households who have poultry. The difference between being that ours are the only chooks kept in a front garden. No one in the village has seen this guy, and he certainly hasn't knocked on any doors. I know, because I have. No one else has received a letter to date.

    He has sent us a patronising leaflet telling us how to look after our chooks properly (go teach your grandmother to suck eggs, mate!) It tells us to keep all of our chook feed in hoppers (check) and off the ground (check) but they don't know much about chooks it seems; or rats come to that. Any self-respecting rat can get food out of a hopper! We also take the hopper in at night because our DD isn't too sure the local hedgehogs should eat the layers pellets.

    The leaflet also goes on about putting food on the ground for chickens i.e. corn & grain as any left lying will attract rats. 'Any left lying'?? You have to be kidding, mate. There isn't ever any food 'left lying' with a dozen greedy girls!! But everyone hereabouts feeds the wild birds. I don't think it's possible to pass a garden around here that hasn't got bird tables of all heights, hanging nets/balls/etc and seed holders and most people chuck stuff on their lawns every day. None of these things are particularly rat proof. A rat can't climb a bird table stood alone, but it can climb onto birdtables attached to walls and sheds or stood too close to neighbouring plants. The DD used to have pet rats and they were hugely intelligent creatures.

    We also have eight cats - if rats take up residence around here they'd have to be daft. And, talking of daft, the person who complained that he saw a rat was Christian. No, not that type of Christian - Christian is our local addict and I quite like him. He's actually a very clever guy, unless he's stoned - which is 90% of the time. Christian sees pink orang utans FFS.

    Tomorrow, when I'm calm I shall reply sensibly to the stupid letter.
    Jules

    Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?

    ♥ Nutter in a Million & Royal Nutter by Appointment to HRH VC ♥

    Althoughts - The New Blog (updated with bridges)

  • #2
    Well done for the massive vent on here rather than going off on one at the letter writer. COnsidered thought is the order of the day (or of the 'morrow).


    Oooooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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    • #3
      Invite him round to have a look at your chickens.
      And give him a copy of your regime. And ask whether he has written to all the other chicken keepers.

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      • #4
        I know he hasn't written to the ones I know - I've asked them all today.

        Do you know, that if your chook food hopper is 20cm off the ground, a rat can't reach it
        Jules

        Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?

        ♥ Nutter in a Million & Royal Nutter by Appointment to HRH VC ♥

        Althoughts - The New Blog (updated with bridges)

        Comment


        • #5
          You know that. But you should be asking him that question.

          In fact I'd set up a local chicken keepers group and then invite him along.

          Really grill the bugger!

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          • #6
            Ohhhh...Chook Group with BBQ!!!


            Yessssss!
            Jules

            Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?

            ♥ Nutter in a Million & Royal Nutter by Appointment to HRH VC ♥

            Althoughts - The New Blog (updated with bridges)

            Comment


            • #7
              Jules it's about time that ruddy so and so fairy had her marching orders,if the council was to put some traps about,to catch them,am sure more than 0ne would make an appearance,all the best with your letter,
              sigpicAnother nutter ,wife,mother, nan and nanan,love my growing places,seed collection and sharing,also one of these

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              • #8
                How ridiculous! I'm not surprised you are fuming. We've had rats in the garden yet don't feed the birds or have chickens. How does the logic work then?
                As mad as the letter I had from the PO in October, complaining about the "thorn bush" by the front door, letter said "sort it or we won't deliver your post". I have pruned the rose to within an inch of it's life, taken photos and written back - three times. The last letter I sent signed for - to the sorting office on 23/12 and it has yet to be delivered. How can they not even deliver letters to themselves?? Still don't know if our postal delivery is about to be terminated.

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                • #9
                  The world has gone mad - I'd be fuming too! Ruddy blithering idiots.
                  All the best - Glutton 4 Punishment
                  Freelance shrub butcher and weed removal operative.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by julesapple View Post
                    Ohhhh...Chook Group with BBQ!!!


                    Yessssss!
                    So this bbq .. what do you cook on it?

                    *just asking*

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                    • #11
                      Perhaps you should quote that old saying , no one is ever more than six feet away from a rat! Might make your infuriating man look over his shoulder!!
                      The best things in life are not things.

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                      • #12
                        That's councils for you...
                        Quanti canicula ille in fenestra ?

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by alldigging View Post
                          So this bbq .. what do you cook on it?


                          Obviously that would have to be Ratatouille
                          He who smiles in the face of adversity,has already decided who to blame

                          Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity

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                          • #14
                            I have to say that what most upset me was that I felt victimised. I am not the only chook keeper in this village but, as the BH and our neighbours pointed out, our chooks are in plain sight of the road. Had they still been trashing my back garden, we wouldn't have been singled out for the useless leaflet treatment.

                            Also, it was pointed out to me this evening that we have major roadworks going on just a long the road, and they've turfed up one of those we eco systems that exist on big traffic islands (you know, undisturbed shrubby areas, never touched by humans) so there will be loads of homeless rats where they are re-locating sewers.

                            We've just had a few neighbours just pop in with their suggestions for my 'stiff' letter - absolutely brilliant, but completely unprintable. Sadly.

                            Anyway, I'm calmer now, been out & stroked my chooks, bought a piece of fabric......thought about ratmanatouille.....
                            Jules

                            Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?

                            ♥ Nutter in a Million & Royal Nutter by Appointment to HRH VC ♥

                            Althoughts - The New Blog (updated with bridges)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Any rat man worth the name will know that there are rats everywhere: regardless of chickens, or not
                              All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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