Mouse first then rats?

[Nigel]

Advice please, but I think I know the answer. Started feeding birds in our new house garden in December. First garden in 25 years! Taking advice from these forums I now offer:

3 coconut shells with homemade fat/seed mix
1 peanut feeder
1 niger seed feeder
1 mealworm small bowl
Loose bread and chopped apples
Seed mix on ground and borders.

I think I've been feeding on the ground a little to enthusiastically hence latest furry visitor. (pic attached)

During cold spell put out a lot more feed out, especially seed on ground with fantastic results. Lots of small birds - sparrows, dunnocks, blackbirds, robins, pair of wood pidgeon and collared doves. It's a small garden but plenty of visitors now. Our 11 month boy has learnt to point from watching the action frm his high chair by french window. (How do I explain the occasional sparrow hawk kills when he eventually sees one?).

My partner rather concerned about attracting rats. I guess she's right (again). Now invested in a conventional roofed table but not sure if the ground feeders will use it?

Any good suggestions how to keep using seed on ground for ground feeders without attracting rats?

p.s. pic via digibino - crude but worked!

[Gerry Hooper]

The best way of disgouraging rats is to mix some Chilli seeds in with the mix, it does work, but isn't 100% effective.The birds don't taste it.
Mice love Poppodums.

I'd tell your little Boy the truth about Hawks. It's better than confessing to being economical with the truth later on.

[Nigel]

The best way of disgouraging rats is to mix some Chilli seeds in with the mix, it does work, but isn't 100% effective.

Thanks Gerry, a simple solution. I have to say I've been enjoying watching the little mouse peeping out from his hole in the wall before sneaking down for a snack. I'm quite suprised he comes by day. I'd assumed mice fed at night as do house mice? He doesn't seem frightened of the dunnocks or sparrows. A welcome visitor as long as his big relatives don't follow...