Please help me decide which of these methods to use for RATS

[Kasilofchrisn]

As I said if your not able, regardless of the reason, to properly protect your pets then you should not own those pets!
If you can't find a way to keep the rats away or remove them legally and safely from your property them you should consider getting rid of the pets that are attracting the rats.
Owning pets come with responsibilities.
Meet those or get rid of your pets.
I don't really enjoy cleaning my chicken coop in the winter. Sure it doesn't take too long but scraping all that frozen shavings and poo isn't my favorite thing.
But you know what like it or not I clean it regularly anyway. Why? Because as a responsible pet owner it's the right thing to do.
That's how I was raised.
I was also raised to protect my animals.
Whether that means fixing a hole in their cage or chasing off or removing a predator or pest.
Yes there are ways to deal with rats. Lots of them.
Special feeders/feed methods, poison baits, snap traps,multicatch traps,drowning traps (bucket traps), heck I've even seen a device on here where the tunnels are filled with propane that is then ignited destroying the tunnels and all inside.
If you find its just not in you to use one of these methods then I'm sorry but your not being a responsible pet owner and need to give them up.
Maybe try some inside pets like a cat or hamster. Maybe a pet parakeet.

 

[Kasilofchrisn]

I had two different ferrets when I had chickens years ago.
They were very easy to care for.
I kept my ferret in an old rabbit hutch I had.
Keep their ferret food and water dishes filled and keep a few toys in their pen for them to play with. That is about it.
Oh yeah and play with them every day or so for at least a few minutes.
I had some 2" pvc tunnels that I made for mine. He liked running through them.
Unfortunately one of mine choked on a piece of food.
And my other one escaped when I didn't close his cage properly. I felt bad about that and didn't get another one.
To me anyway they weren't any harder than rabbits or chickens.

 

[jools2014]

Once again, no one is saying they are not going to remove the rats! The OP has already mentioned trying a bucket trap (didn't work for them) I have also tried the bucket trap and it has not worked-perhaps I set it up wrong, I don't know. I have a special feeder-it greatly reduced vermin activity. I live in the countryside-there is no way to get rid of rats 100%, absolutely no way. My issue is not so much on HOW to kill them, but more how difficult it is to catch them for most people-and the method that is easiest and most effective involves danger to wildlife and pets-the OP has already mentioned numerous times that a dog was killed because poison was used to kill rats-how is that protecting your pets if something like that can happen?! I'm not sure why you are so fixated on the idea that I (or to begin with the OP) am not willing to get rid of the rats, the OP suggested lots of methods and asked for the most humane, nowhere did they say they weren't going to kill them.

It is also not easy to just give up chickens-I'm in the middle of a bird flu epidemic where I am so we are not even allowed to move poultry about right now. Maybe you would suggest I just kill them all for their own protection since I am such a bad owner.

 

[TalkALittle]

@Kasilofchrisn, I believe that everyone who has contributed to this thread thus far (including the OP) is in agreement that the rats must go. Certain people have expressed a desire to employ a method that minimizes unnecessary pain and suffering on the part of the rats. What is being debated is the relative "humane-ness" of various methods. It would seem that you don't consider this a worthwhile discussion. Or perhaps you see any consideration for the rats in direct conflict to the welfare of the chickens and humans involved. That is fine and you are entitled to your opinion. But please don't berate someone else for holding a view different from your own.

 

[Kasilofchrisn]

Sorry if I offended anyone.
Do I also need to consider the humane death of those mosquitoes and houseflies that I kill each summer?
Is my wasp trap hanging on my coop a humane death for the wasps? I'm joking of course.
I understand killing any of nature's creatures is hard for some people.
But at some point we have to realize that some animals must die so that we can live and so that we,our families and pets can be safe.
And at some point we gotta put on our big boy/girl pants and like it or not do what we must.
If that entails catching and drowning rats or shooting them with a pellet gun well, it's what we gotta do as responsible pet owners.
I understand you'll never get them all but you can keep their population in check as least on your own property
I guess most Alaskans have a different mind set than people elsewhere.
Here thinking about the humane killing of a predator may mean you end up as bear poop.
People kill brown bears here every year whilst defending their own lives.
I believe it happened at least twice last year one just south of me always not far from where I go camping each summer.
He ended up killing the bear and shooting himself in the foot as he fell backwards while shooting at very close range as it was charging.
The other was a bear so close they could feel his breath. A gal with a fishing guide who had to put the bear down without time for thinking or a warning shot.
One guy years ago thought bears and people could get along and we could live amongst them and if we were nice to the bears they wouldn't hurt us.
Him and his girlfriend were both killed and eaten by bears.
He was wrong. Had they been prepared to shoot they might still be alive.
Yes it was Timothy Treadwell.
I don't advise shooting bears just because they're predators or if your not going to utilize them as much as possible for food and fur.
But bear spray hasn't always worked.
So I often pack a gun just in case and I'm prepared to do what I must to protect myself and my loved ones.
I'm not sure rats have a food or fur value (Sorry I'm not eating them)?
But they do spread disease and pilfer our animals feed. They can also hurt our pets and our families by biting and scratching.
Sorry if I don't feel remorse for killing a rat by whatever means is/was available at the time.

 

[TalkALittle]

I still don't think you get the point and your bear example isn't applicable.

The hunter still takes the time to line up the kill shot. I understand that sometimes there are situations where that luxury doesn't exist but we are not talking about a life or death situation here. We are talking about employing a more humane means of killing vs a less humane means when we have the luxury of choosing.

And while you were making light of the mosquitos that you kill. There is a difference between killing with a quick swat vs pulling the wings off and watching it die a slow death and if you can't see that then I'm glad I don't live in your Alaska.

 

[TwoCrows]

This thread has gotten a bit inflamed, we understand your passion about protecting your flocks, however we have decided it's best to lock down this thread.

Thank you to all who participated, this thread is now closed.

-BYC Staff