@Charliesixtysix - poison isn't an option, as we have chickens + dogs + kids + guineapigs.
I see from camera footage from a couple of nights back the young rats are able to pass through the metal grill and get in at the chicken feed - so the food will be getting secured overnight from now on.
That's annoying for me - since the chickens already start complaining at 7am that they want out their enclosure and into the garden. With no food there - I'm sure the ladies will start complaining even earlier
Electric trap arrived this morning. I'm going to have to be creative with some loose bricks and wood, and make a "rat run" big enough for the rats, but small and long enough the chickens won't stick their curious little heads inside. As the electric traps are indoor devices - I had hope to keep it to inside my shed, but now I'm not sure if I have only 1 pack or more...and I prefer to get the ones going into the chicken coup.
I explained what I saw on the video to the missus - and asked if she still had serious objections to me getting a PCP airgun. Answer: yes.
When questioned "why" - she replied we have curious and ingenious kids - evidently she's afraid they'll get at it and bad things could happen. That was my "aaahh" moment.
Apparently she wasn't aware of the concept of separating key components of a weapon from the main body - so I mentioned that the Uni shooting club had a safe with the guns, but the critical bits that could make them viable weren't stored on site. Same for the other firearms ranges I used to shoot at.
Now I've explained that the airgun wouldn't be at all useable when not in my hands - she seems to be wavering - which is as good as a yes in my head.
For those worried I'd be taking pot-shots and leaving the rodents injured but not dead - I did use to get rid of bunnies for farmers at quite longs distances with .22LR, and shoot competition target with same. I wouldn't be taking any shots until I was confident in my skills + the little beggar was in a hit worthy situation. No guarantee of course, and I'd really just prefer if they went somewhere else - or the electric trap works miracles...