BrowningB7 Posted September 30, 2016 Report Share Posted September 30, 2016 Hi guys Was offered a load of left over wheat for free and picked it up today. 4 ton bags which had to be hand loaded into our storage. At first glance there seemed to be some rat feces in the wheat on the top of the bags, but as we loaded it out it seems to be amongst all the wheat. Will this be a problem for chucking around our cover crops? I wasn't going to put in our feeders, just throw it around straw rides and the like. It would be a shame to waste it as it doubles our amount of feed, but don't want to pass on any disease to the birds. What do you guys think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted September 30, 2016 Report Share Posted September 30, 2016 hello, i expect it was not fit to sell to the grain company, but i cannot see a problem for pheasant feed as quite often there are rats about anyway, the gamekeeper on the farm feeds his with same when there is surplus that cannot be sold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 The only clean feed we get is that from the silo, the rest is contaminated with all manner of farmyard crud, including rat feces. We do as you and simply broadcast it wherever, including the margins of our duck ponds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 The birds will sort out what they want. For this reason I can't see why it can't be used in the hoppers either. Birds and animals don't get the problems that we would get by eating stuff that has been in contact with crud and bacteria. If you put a clean grain of wheat down on the ground is it not immediately in contact with ground which has an amount of pheasant poop trodden into it? If handling the wheat there is more risk to You from the rat poo so wear gloves and a dust mask if you handle it and beware of cuts ect on your hands and skin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 The birds will sort out what they want. For this reason I can't see why it can't be used in the hoppers either. Birds and animals don't get the problems that we would get by eating stuff that has been in contact with crud and bacteria. If you put a clean grain of wheat down on the ground is it not immediately in contact with ground which has an amount of pheasant poop trodden into it? If handling the wheat there is more risk to You from the rat poo so wear gloves and a dust mask if you handle it and beware of cuts ect on your hands and skin. PLUS 1, so give your birds a good feed and hope the season goes well, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotslad Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 I'd be more corncerned with my own health, like fortune said. Watch out for Wiels disease, its pretty nasty stuff, usually transmitted throu rat pee and i think it has to be in damp conditions to stay alive. My mate caught it years ago from a stinking duck pond and was very ill with it for quite a while. Be worth reading up on just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 As above,although its Weils disease. Wear gloves when handling especially if any open wounds. Caught it around 14 years ago and a very unpleasant period followed and compared to some stories very lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_o Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 Is it definitely rat faeces? If it's spread uniform ally through the wheat it may be ergot. Ergot is a fungus that can grow in wheat and can't easily be separated so will very often be rejected by the buyer. It looks just like rat ****. Either way, get it used! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 Weils is something I hadn't considered to be honest, and is a point well worth mentioning by the who have. In the floods of December last year in our little part of the UK, no one drowned, but the landlady of a flooded pub died as a result of being in the contaminated water with an open wound. The source of the contamination was thought to be rats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningB7 Posted October 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 Thanks guys, glad it will be ok for the birds. Should make a difference having this to chuck around the covers. Have been using gloves to move this wheat. Knew about Weils from working in construction, like most things though you tend to get complacent. It's not until you hear stories that you take note how serious it can be. I'll try and get a picture when i'm over there just to see if it is Ergot fungi, it would be interesting to know. Thanks again for the input Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 Ergot. Possible but unlikely. As far as I know it is more found on the cereal, rye. And not in this country. >>>> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry_o Posted October 2, 2016 Report Share Posted October 2, 2016 Ergot. Possible but unlikely. As far as I know it is more found on the cereal, rye. And not in this country. >>>> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ergot Trust me we get ergot here. I farm and know of many cases Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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