Which came first: the chicken or the rat? ThatB次元官网网址檚 what neighbours living on urban streets with chicken coops want to know.
Chickens have been living in Victoria for years. The CityB次元官网网址檚 bylaws donB次元官网网址檛 currently restrict the number of hens, provided the eggs are for personal use only and the birds are housed correctly. Roosters are not permitted.
But rats have been in Victoria even longer, so the presence of chickens canB次元官网网址檛 be blamed for their existence. Chicken coops, however, can provide an excellent source of rat food.
B次元官网网址�(Rats) are amazing animals that arenB次元官网网址檛 to be underestimated at all,B次元官网网址� said Kurtis Brown of Victoria Pest Control. B次元官网网址淚f weB次元官网网址檙e not storing food properly B次元官网网址� we are certainly inviting rats.B次元官网网址�
Any stable food source can attract rats.
There are two species of rats in Victoria: the B次元官网网址渂rownB次元官网网址� rat and the B次元官网网址渞oofB次元官网网址� rat. Brown ratsB次元官网网址� diet mainly consists of grains, which also happens to be chickensB次元官网网址� bread and butter. Chicken feed, if unattended, will feed a rat family, or even a whole colony.
And itB次元官网网址檚 not just the feed, either. Roof rats are omnivorous and will eat anything, including chicken eggs, baby chicks, and chicken manure. Rats are cautious, but clever problem-solvers. If itB次元官网网址檚 possible to get into the coop, they will figure it out.
B次元官网网址淭hey can accomplish many things,B次元官网网址� said Brown, laughing.
He is reluctant to blame chickens for rodent problems in a neighbourhood, a general issue recently brought to light by a .
B次元官网网址淪anitation is pest control,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f thereB次元官网网址檚 no food, thereB次元官网网址檚 no rats. ItB次元官网网址檚 as simple as that.B次元官网网址�
Mayor Lisa Helps, who keeps chickens herself, thinks having hens in an urban area like Victoria makes sense.
B次元官网网址淲e live on an island, weB次元官网网址檝e got limited space for growing food,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淭o me it makes sense that backyard chickens are allowed, but the chicken owners do have a responsibility.B次元官网网址�
Andrew Moyer and Monica Pozzolo are among these local chicken owners.
Behind a canopy of fruit trees and a formidable vegetable garden, the couple have kept chickens since their daughter was young. The original reasons are what you might expect B次元官网网址� fresh eggs and meat B次元官网网址� but there is also educational and entertainment value.
B次元官网网址淲e call it chicken TV,B次元官网网址� Moyer said. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 have fires in the city (and) when youB次元官网网址檙e camping, you have to have a campfire to look at. We sit by our chickens and watch chickens do things.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲atching a lumbering animal without arms running around like a dinosaur is kind of fun,B次元官网网址� he said, laughing.
The couple hoped to teach their children about the B次元官网网址渃ircle of life,B次元官网网址� Moyer said; how they grow, live and eventually end up on their plates. He also thinks learning farm chores is good for their daughter.
Keeping the coop clean is just like any other household chore, he added. B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 like maintenance anywhere in a house. If youB次元官网网址檙e good at cleaning up your garbage, great. If you leave your compost bucket from your kitchen outside for a couple days, raccoons and rats and whatever else are going to get into it.B次元官网网址�
In hindsight, Moyer admitted he hasnB次元官网网址檛 always been the best chicken owner. At the beginning they would use an open feeder, where the hens had access to food all day B次元官网网址� which may have attracted rodents. Sometimes they would forget to put the chickens in at night, which led to problems with raccoons.
More recently theyB次元官网网址檝e tried to be good chicken owners and they rarely have issues. B次元官网网址淲e put them in at night, and built a good cage thatB次元官网网址檚 sturdy and has a bottom in it so they canB次元官网网址檛 dig out and other things canB次元官网网址檛 dig in.B次元官网网址�
Even if they donB次元官网网址檛 see rats, Moyer knows they are around.
However, if residents are keeping food contained, chickens shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be a problem for Moyer, and not a problem for Keith BrownB次元官网网址檚 pest control: B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 all for chicken coops,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淏ackyard chickens are awesome. But you better build your coop right.B次元官网网址�
