Rats and Mice

Part 1.  Found a dead Mouse (I think) in the chicken run this morning. It was a big mouse, don't think it was a rat.
I ushered the chicken out and left the mouse until the dogs were back in the house out of the way. When I went back, a couple of hours later, the mouse had disappeared. It seems that it was "Playing dead" and scarpered when all was quiet. I'm glad I didn't try to pick it up!!

Part 2. Ted just appeared at the kitchen door with a dead rat in his mouth! Fortunately he dropped it and was happy to leave it outside. It was hoooge. I know they're getting into the garage and have a tunnel under GH 2 and we have rat poison down in locked boxes that the dogs can't get into. Just hope that the dogs don't try to eat the rats. 

Oh dear! Rats are not nice, and apparently the absence of mice means there's rats.

I can't put down poison, but then we don't have a problem with rats, but there are mice, and the cats are regularly bringing them home. Dead, thankfully. Yesterday I even found a dead mole!

There are plenty of mice here - wood mice and bank voles. I don't mind them in the garden - they're cute. The dogs catch them sometimes and they caught 2 moles last week. They stand above the mole hill, listening, then pounce and dig it out.

Chickens will happily eat mice...

Rats, mice, shrews etc are always an issue here

Oh dear! Rats are not nice, and apparently the absence of mice means there's rats.

I can't put down poison, but then we don't have a problem with rats, but there are mice, and the cats are regularly bringing them home. Dead, thankfully. Yesterday I even found a dead mole!

2!Dead moles here a few days ago... on the lawn. I  wondered if they needed water.. I filled a few trays up for the birds that day and had the joy of seeing all the blackbirds bathing in them  .... Maybe too late for the moles?

We get mice in the loft in winter and last year they ate the shoulders of my carrots (note to self to earth up carrots) we only get rats being a problem near the house when next door throw all their left over food on the lawn 'for the birds'. I've told them time and again that it attracts rats and isn't good for the birds but to no avail. Occasionally get them in the open composts which I can cope with, but having a rat stare at me when I opened the 'kitchen waste' bin was a bit unsettling. Not sure who was most startled

Chickens will happily eat mice...

Rats, mice, shrews etc are always an issue here

Chickens definitely eat small mice. I remember when ours were very small chasing a small mouse that went into our chicken run and was promptly swallowed by a hen. They didn't half cry, blaming themselves somewhat for its demise.

Chickens will happily eat mice...

Rats, mice, shrews etc are always an issue here

Can I ask what the issue with shrews is, as they're insect/invertebrate eaters?

Chickens will happily eat mice...

Rats, mice, shrews etc are always an issue here

Can I ask what the issue with shrews is, as they're insect/invertebrate eaters?

They definitely eat my seedlings! I see them in my pots. My sons had a couple as pets once  ... caught them red handed feeding them in the bedroom   They would happily eat of your hand.

Really? I guess as opportunists they'll eat plants if they can't get what they prefer.
I've always welcomed them! We saw a shrew caravan once - adult at the front and the babies following nose to tail. Very cute.