First time rat problem!

[WhoDatChick]

For the first time in five years of having chickens I have a rat problem! I have had rats in the past but upon notice I’d put rat poison in the shed next to the coop and they would promptly eat it and die! That has only happened a couple of times. Well, I saw a rat the other day for the first time in a long time then a few days later noticed tunnels under a cinder block INSIDE my coop! I have never had the rats access my coop before! I moved the cinder blocks and discovered a rats nest with pinkies the chickens quickly did away with them! Anyway, these rats are not living in my shed as before.. these rats are living in tunnels under the oak tree in the chicken yard and have now dug tunnels into the coop I am wonder if a deterrent will be helpful as I would like to make their living situation uncomfortable! I do plan to get in the coop and dig down around the perimeter and place hardware cloth… I have the skirt but they have simply gone under that! But it is entirely too hot to do anything like that right now so I had a thought… I had liquid crab boil and powder on hand so I sprinkled the powder and poured all the liquid down the tunnels hoping to make for some very uncomfortable digging I plan to get more and really flood those tunnels! Also, will try the baking soda mix… after the gals go to bed I will put that out for the night and hopefully they’ll eat that instead of trying to bypass all that spice and get back into the coop to eat the feed! I will let y’all know if I’m on to something

 

[WhoDatChick]

I sort of covered the hole into the coop and put out the baking soda jiffy mix and added a little peanut butter oil… does anyone think that flying squirrels will eat that?? I do not want to kill them

 

[Al Gerhart]

Do a forum search for Howard E.'s posts on rodent control. Or just a search using rats or mice as the key words. There are hundreds of posts already dealing with the issue.

 

[RoyalChick]

@BY Bob had a lot of success with dry ice in the tunnels. Safe for the chickens and wipes them all out in one go.

 

[WhoDatChick]

@BY Bob had a lot of success with dry ice in the tunnels. Safe for the chickens and wipes them all out in one go.

What! Are you serious?? I will ask him! Thank you so much!!

 

[RoyalChick]

What! Are you serious?? I will ask him! Thank you so much!!

Yes. It suffocates them in their tunnels. I think you do it in the day when they are hiding in the tunnels. Block their exits and throw dry ice in one hole. It is heavier than air so sinks down to where they are.
But get @BY Bob to explain. I have never tried it.

 

[WhoDatChick]

Yes. It suffocates them in their tunnels. I think you do it in the day when they are hiding in the tunnels. Block their exits and throw dry ice in one hole. It is heavier than air so sinks down to where they are.
But get @BY Bob to explain. I have never tried it.

Oh wow! That’s cool! Thanks so much!