Rats, Help!!!

Hello,
So rats have decided to make holes in yard and also in neighbors yard who also has chickens. First 1-1/2 we had no rats then got a few set teaps and tbey went away.Now they are back making big holes all over yard.Nasty I just want them gone without having to get rid of our chickens or spends $1000s.What can we do?
Thanks!

You have to first keep your chickens safe. Make sure there are no holes or anything to get into your henhouse. Try keeping them in. Get rat poison pellets like DCon and put it away from your chickens. Do not let them out where it is or they may peck and eat it. Get some temporary yard cats, but cats may eat your chickens. MYPETCHICKEN sells a product called Coyote Pee and another called Wolf Pee made from the urine of these animals which is supposed to be a repellent. The ad says it will not bother your chickens. However, someone I know said the smell of coyote all day will stress a chicken out smelling it. Perhaps the chicken catches on "gee I keep smelling coyote pee but nothing ever happens" and just moves on. Put dollar store solar pathway lights, a lot of them, around your chicken coop. I have had good luck with this. If nothing else it lights your field of vision to shoot predators. A friend told me to keep a battery powered radio on tuned to TALK radio in the henhouse also helps repel animals. You and your neighbor should be very aggressive in getting rid of rats, they can burn your barn or house down, they will eat your eggs and chicks and their presence will attract foxes and coyotes and hawks.

Pick up all food and water at night.
Don't leave anything for them to come and eat.

Back your car into the yard. Attach an old vacuum cleaner hose, or something similar to the exhaust pipe. shove the hose down into one of the holes, and gas them for an hour or so. While doing this, block any holes that you see smoke coming out of. That will be the end of your rat problem.

JackE said:

Back your car into the yard. Attach an old vacuum cleaner hose, or something similar to the exhaust pipe. shove the hose down into one of the holes, and gas them for an hour or so. While doing this, block any holes that you see smoke coming out of. That will be the end of your rat problem.

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seriously?

Awesome!

KikisGirls said:

seriously?

Awesome!

Click to expand...

Yes, seriously. You want to have more fun. Get out your .22, or light gauge shot gun. Pour a cup of gasoline down one of the holes. Wait about 30-45 seconds, then throw a match down the hole. Get ready with your gun, as a bunch of rats are going to pour out of their underground lair. Or, if you don't want to shoot, round up a bunch of neighborhood dogs, and watch them have some fun, when the rats come running out.

The only thing that worked for me...after spending $$$ on various types of traps, repellents, etc over a months time....was finally giving in and buying Just One Bite rat poison blocks. Put a block underneath one of my coops where the rats were burrowing (but no other animal could reach). No rats after 10 days. Very happy with the results.

×2 on poison. Just make sure it isn't anywhere that any other animals can get to it and make sure that is the only food available to them at night.

Same here. X3 it seems that the rats are gone. Used the One Bite and that is what finally worked. I am also going to remove the feeders from the run and either carry feed daily or put up hanging feeders. They were having a field day in the feeders at night. I had no rats in the duck pen but I was pulling their feed nightly. I am seriously considering having hubby hook a hose up to the tunnels with his truck....for good measure. Nasty things, they were wreaking havoc with their tunnels but never bothered my chickens.

Thank god they have not harmed my chickens!! I would be lime a crazy woman out there uf they did yelling and screaming.Cover holes have not seen any but not taking chances.Nast nasty nasty. Hubby said he is gonna try the hose and get an estimate to keep away.