Efforts to eliminate a rat infestation inside a former feed mill in Sherman continues under the direction of the Chautauqua County Department of Health. P-J photo by Jordan W. Patterson

MAYVILLE — The abatement of rats at a closed Sherman feed mill is underway using a “multi-faceted approach.”

For Mark Stow, county Environmental Health director, the first day of abatement at Farmers Mill, that consisted of setting 250 traps and placing rodenticides, or rat poison, at various spots inside the facility, was like “rat D-Day” on Nov. 13.

Officials first spoke publicly of the infestation at an October special county Health Board meeting, which resulted in a “public health nuisance” order.

Representatives of Farmers Mill were served an abatement order to address the “unprecedented” rodent infestation inside the 118 Kendrick St. property last month. The mill closed earlier this year, though feed had been left inside that has provided a food supply for the rats to live on.

The multi-faceted approach included sealing off the building to keep the rats inside and keeping non-targeted outdoor animals from getting into the property.

Stow, county officials, pest control contractors and Erie County officials previously conducted various assessments of the property before beginning the abatement. A member of the Erie County Health Department estimated there was potentially more than a thousand rats living inside. However, Stow, upon his last examination of the property Nov. 20 where 20 dead rats were found due to the abatement, questioned how many rats were there to begin with.

“I’m not seeing a lot of rats,” Stow said during a Board of Health meeting on Thursday. “I don’t know if it’s the cold weather that’s driven them into their burrows or whatever. They’re more shy now so I’m not catching glimpses of large numbers of rats when I go in there.”

He said many of rats — due to more frequent human activity, the cold weather and previous abatement by Farmers Mill owners — could have an impact on the amount of visible rats seen during visits.

“I really don’t know exactly where we’re at with the rat population. It’s hard to say,” he said.

County officials remain concerned regarding the amount of feed left behind at the mill, Stow said. The county has indicated it wants to eliminate a large portion of rats and then begin to remove the food supply. Additionally, rats reproduce every six to eight weeks.

“The mill is basically five levels with the basement, four levels above ground and just loaded with all kinds of foods, all kinds of oats and corn and what have you, and it’s just a rats paradise basically,” Stow said.

Stow indicated that feed will be removed from the top level down, potentially forcing the remaining rats to the basement where the water supply is located. A joint effort with the village will soon begin to slowly remove the food supply.

However, the county has remained cautious of removing the food supply too quickly, which could inadvertently force the rats outside into the community.

Stow said there was no evidence upon the last check that rats were dispersing outside.

“No rat tracks outside,” Stow said, adding that rats are known for dragging their tail through the snow making it easy to identify their movement.