All good, appreciate your thoughtful and well informed comments on the ratty
issue…I suppose the most important things is to try very hard to vermin proof
the new proposed kitchen.
Cheers Carol
From: tpsenviro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tpsenviro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On ;
Behalf Of Alicia Flynn
Sent: Monday, 9 July 2018 12:07 PM
To: tpsenviro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tpsenviro] Re: Chook - rat issue.
Yep, exacto Renee. For better or worse rodents are part of the foodweb,
especially in cities. They're here partly to help clean up our waste. Where
there is food, there are rats. I've never had chooks and compost without
invariably attracting rodents.
Unfortunately relocating the chooks to the front area would take a lot of extra
work to fox-proof the area and rats would eventually then just go there. There
will never be an end to rats - when we clear one family out, another will come
along shortly after.
The trap will help in the short-term but it will require ongoing maintenance.
Cleaning up the rat poo regularly, keeping the coop as clean as possible
including wiping down benches with vinegar and locking the food away as we have
been doing will help reduce the risk of rat contamination but it won't get rid
of them.
The long-term approach is tricky but I agree with Renee, it's more about
mitigating germs and educating about species' roles and reducing our own
musophobia (unreasonable fear of them) than thinking we could ever eradicate
them.
On Mon, Jul 9, 2018 at 11:22 AM, Renee Wierzbicki and Matthew Pope
<treehorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:treehorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
I agree, but the vermin are not limited to the chook area, and TPS has had
vermin problems even when we didn’t have chooks, everywhere does. ‘Possum
damage’ in gardens is often rats. I often see rats scurrying along the bike
path on St.Georges Rd pre dawn.
Since we’ve been at TPS I know that all the buildings at least have mice, even
the Babajen. Kids food scraps, poorly stored pantry items etc are a great food
source.
However, yes chooks do heighten the problem. The traps Megan recommends are a
good option. There are pro’s and cons with exterminators and baits, and
potential for poisoned vermin to be eaten by predatory local owls and raptors.
I think there needs to be a school wide approach. We need to chat to Leon and
new AP about it.
I think rats and mice are a bit like spiders and bugs, a fact of life, and not
a bad thing for the kids to be taught about and aware of. Yes, lets keep the
numbers down, but total elimination is impossible.
Any other thoughts?
Renee
On 9 Jul 2018, at 10:54 am, Joanne <j_missen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:j_missen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
I agree completely Carol.
On 8 Jul 2018, at 7:29 AM, Carol McConville <info@xxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:info@xxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
This seems like a serious issue with health issues etc.
Would it be out of the question to relocate chooks to water tank fenced area in
farm area temporarily and to call in professionals to eliminate the rats?
I fear this situation will just get worse and more difficult to solve (with
possibly someone getting bit by a startled rat or possibly detrimental to
chooks health etc.)
Possibly just my primal fears of the critters but considering this is a your
kids environment it may be best to really knock this problem on the head.
Thoughts?
Regards,
Carol
From: <mailto:tpsenviro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> tpsenviro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [
<mailto:tpsenviro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> mailto:tpsenviro-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] ;
On Behalf Of Renee Wierzbicki and Matthew Pope
Sent: Sunday, 1 July 2018 3:30 PM
To: <mailto:tpsenviro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> tpsenviro@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tpsenviro] Re: Chook - rat issue.
I agree.
On 1 Jul 2018, at 1:22 pm, Alicia Flynn < <mailto:ms.aliciaflynn@xxxxxxxxx>
ms.aliciaflynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hey Megan,
Yep, I think go for it. If you have one to lend the school that would be good,
otherwise I could buy one tomorrow...
On Sun, Jul 1, 2018 at 11:25 AM, Megan Phillips <
<mailto:meganjphillips@xxxxxxxxxxx> meganjphillips@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi all,
Hope you’re all enjoying the weekend!
I wondered if we put an electric (battery operated) rat trap in the coop over
the holiday period? I have one that could be used. Or, one could be purchased
from Kogan or online for ongoing use as long as it was strategically and safely
placed as to not be a risk to any children. This may be a no no as it hasn’t
gone through Carol (OHS) so disregard if so, but we will need to come up with
some preventative measures and actions anyhow once school starts back.
<image1.jpeg>
The amount of rat droppings is huge!!!
Not to mention the unseen rat urine all over the place that’s a health risk.
With us being unable to use the existing bait stations, it would be better to
have something than nothing.
A live rat was there to greet me when I went in on Wednesday!
Thoughts? Would just require someone to don gloves, switch off, slide rat out
and dispose of, add more rat attractant/peanut butter/other if required.
Also, when the feeder is checked and topped up, please ensure there’s no straw
under the feeder plate that may cause it to stay open. Thank you.
Regards,
Megan
Sent from my iPhone
On 30 Jun 2018, at 9:08 pm, Ian Adams < <mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
If I do 4th-6th, and Renee can do 7th-8th?, we should be covered. I am also
going to try and do some fence-building while the kids take over the school on
Wednesday 4th if anyone wants to join me.
Thanks all!
Alicia Sat 30-Tue 3
Ian Wed 4-Fri 6
Renee Sat 7-Sun 8
Megan Mon 9-Tue 10
Jo Missen Wed 11-Fri 13
Mel Sat 14-Sun 15
--
<mailto:iansnail@xxxxxxxxx> iansnail@xxxxxxxxx
On 30 June 2018 6:54:32 pm AEST, <mailto:melishious@xxxxxxxxx>
melishious@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
Hey Renee,
I can do Sat/Sun 14th & 15th :)
Mel
Sent from my iPhone
On 29 Jun 2018, at 11:22 pm, Renee Wierzbicki and Matthew Pope <
<mailto:treehorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> treehorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
OK here is the chook minding roster so far:
Alicia Sat 30-Tue 3
Wed 4-Sun 8th STILL VACANT
Megan Mon 9-Tue 10
Jo Missen Wed 11-Fri13
Sat 14-Sun15 STILL VACANT
Any more takers?
Cheers,
Renee
On 25 Jun 2018, at 11:14 am, Megan Phillips <
<mailto:meganjphillips@xxxxxxxxxxx> meganjphillips@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Thank you, Renee.
We can do the 9th/10th.
Regards,
Megan
On 25 Jun 2018, at 10:40 am, Alicia Flynn < <mailto:ms.aliciaflynn@xxxxxxxxx>
ms.aliciaflynn@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Great. Thanks Renee!
I've added Jo Kummrow here in case they can help out over the holidays...
We can do the first few days 30th-3rd :-)
On Sun, Jun 24, 2018 at 7:51 PM, Joanne < <mailto:j_missen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
j_missen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I can do Wednesday-Friday of week 2 (11th-13th)
On 24 Jun 2018, at 4:51 PM, Renee Wierzbicki and Matthew Pope <
<mailto:treehorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> treehorn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi all,
It’s time to put your hand up if you want to help out with chook minding over
the holidays.
It involves feeding the girls some fresh greens and veggie scraps, topping up
their pellets in the feeder, scatter a handful of seed on the ground,
changing the water daily and taking any eggs home.
Give the plants and seedlings in the nursery and garden areas a drink if they
need it.
The chooks do appreciate coming out of their enclosure for a scratch if you
have the time.
Just send the the dates you’d prefer to do and I’ll sort it out. Any number
of days is ok. The kids generally love it.
As for the demise of the chickens I don’t think we should panic. The first
one went on a really hot day, and there was no water in the enclosure. We’ve
rectified that with regular adult checkers. The other two are more of a
mystery, but we’re now taking steps for parasite control, which helps a lot.
We will do some hygiene tasks in the chook area every working bee. Education
for the kids on what not to feed chickens will also help.
In my experience with chickens they do have varied length of life, and can
die from a vast range of causes. The average lifespan of an Isa Brown hen is
4 years. I’ve gone back through our chook notes and one of the girls was more
than 3 years old, and the others just on 3. They did have parasites too.
Whilst some chooks do have very long lives, most don’t. I don’t think we
should give up on chooks in this enclosure just yet, we just have to work
creatively on some solutions, and be mindful that chooks just die sometimes,
despite everything we do.
Perhaps as part of the new library book purchases for TPS we could ask for a
good book on chooks for the kids?
Cheers,
Renee
**
TPS Enviro Team would like to acknowledge that we live, learn and work in
Wurundjeri
Land and we pay our respects to First Nations people and Elders past, present
and
future
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