Kettering Allotments Vermin Control Guidelines Version 1.2 August 2016
It is understood that allotments are always likely to sustain a small number of rats, mice, pigeons and other vermin by their vary nature. Nevertheless, it is important that the numbers of vermin do not increase and cause crop damage or pose a risk to health. Certain actions and behaviours by allotment tenants can encourage more vermin and need to be avoided. Other actions can discourage vermin and these, along with the control measures listed below, are encouraged and promoted by the Society.
All members/tenants share a responsibility to control vermin numbers and prevent their spread.
Any member or tenant who observes rats or mice on a plot or in a structure (shed, poultry house etc) should report it immediately to the field steward. If the field steward is unavailable, a report should be made to the secretary or other committee officer.
Any member or tenant who observes rats or mice on his or her own plot or structure (shed, poultry house etc) should also take immediate measures to control the vermin, as listed below.
Rats, mice etc are intelligent animals, so no one method of control is likely to succeed in all cases, especially if there are large numbers. The survivors learn to avoid traps, poison etc. Therefore a range of different methods should be employed so that vermin escaping one method may be killed by another one.
For rats and mice in sheds, some use of poison bait is recommended, along with traps. Different kind of traps as sold in garden supply shops as well as bucket/barrel traps with a spinning bottle at the top have worked well in the past. (See youtube for demonstration of the latter).
If poison bait is to be left near poultry, it is recommended to place it in a length of drain pipe or similar. This prevents birds from eating the bait and rats are likely to enter a length of horizontal pipe and then eat the bait. Every precaution possible should be taken to prevent the accidental ingestion of poison by song birds, poultry, pets and humans.
Vigilance and a thorough approach are necessary when there is any evidence of vermin on allotment land. A single dose of poison bait is rarely enough to kill rats and mice, so repeated doses must be used. If bait is no longer being eaten it is often a sign that the vermin have been killed.
Surviving rats and mice will become resistant to poison bait, so it may be necessary to change the brand during prolonged outbreaks. Advice should be sought from field stewards or experts if this occurs.
Poultry-keepers must be especially vigilant and maintain the highest possible standards to prevent rats and other vermin. Foremost amongst the rat prevention strategy for poultry-keepers is to build secure housing with strong narrow-gauge wire mesh lining all floors and walls and secondly to not leave any poultry food out. This means that poultry must only be fed what they can eat in 30 minutes and no more. Any extra food will only feed rats, not the poultry. If food is left out by poultry-keepers it will lead to disciplinary action.
Ferrets may be used to control vermin. Ferret owners must get permission from the field steward to proceed.
Guidelines approved by the Committee of Kettering Allotments Society August 2016