Ding, Dong, the Rat is Dead! (pic included)

[Egghead_Jr]

Back when we were inundated with rats I'd sit on the deck with the cooler and spend an afternoon taking out rats too. Was fun but obviously not effective.

Tamper proof bait boxes with chux bait. Took a few weeks for them to start taking the bait and few more weeks for all the rats to be dead. Tamper proof bait box filled with chunx bait; don't start a chicken coop without it. So safe I keep a box right in the run 24/7.

 

[MammasBabies]

Frankly, whenever someone suggests essential oils or herbs to get rid of an active infestation, I just have to doubt that it will work. Think about it. The coop is a proven food source. It's likely the rats' nesting place and where they are raising their young. It has proven a place that offers food, safety, and security. I just think it will take more than a bad smell to drive them away if they've already set up shop.

unfortunately, you are right. the Peppermint did not work other than to make the whole area smell Much better.

 

[MammasBabies]

Ditto Dat!^^^^
I suppose if you drenched the area with copious amounts it might repel them temporarily,
but could also create respiratory issues for the birds depending on relative locations.
I know it would repel me...and make me cough sputter and choke....haha!

My coop is very well ventilated...so that is not a problem.
Also using pet friendly poisons and watching everything like a hawk. Food locked away at night and I replaced all the wire on coop with half inch guage. Dug up several nest and killed all nestlings (rat babies) I found and knocked a couple adults in the head. I swear, I HATE rats.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

What about all it's brethren?

That's a fact aart!
Catch one, there could be hundreds more. I can vouch for that.
Caught six the last 4 days in live traps. My bait houses are refilled every 2 days. Got farm feed? You will see your share of rodents.
His brothers are around there somewhere near. They love that chicken feed!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Back when we were inundated with rats I'd sit on the deck with the cooler and spend an afternoon taking out rats too. Was fun but obviously not effective.

Tamper proof bait boxes with chux bait. Took a few weeks for them to start taking the bait and few more weeks for all the rats to be dead. Tamper proof bait box filled with chunx bait; don't start a chicken coop without it. So safe I keep a box right in the run 24/7.

Our rats come out nocturnally. Nobody around and no sunshine. They send out the dumb ones to the live traps and the savoy ones go to the bait houses. I am on my 3rd economy size tom cat block bait pale since spring.

 

[Luka Dorkić]

Briliant! If you don't have any chicks,next time i suggest placing meat on top of a rat trap and covering it with a hard box, making a hole for a rat to enter and securing it all around so it can't tip over and kill a chicken.It's safe to put it in a coop beacuse the chickens can't get harmed.