Rats

[nouveauchick]

I recently discovered a rat's nest with her babies in my chicken run. She had built her nest underneath the water warmer which had not been moved all winter. Since removing the warmer, it looks as though she has filled in her nest with dirt (at least the top hole). Before finding the nest I had filled in all the burrowing holes she had dug with stones. She has since dug another, so she can get to her babies. I am hoping she has moved them because her nest has been found. This is my first time dealing with this issue.

I called the baby wildlife rescue and they gave me a few pointers to get her to move her babies; radios, flashlights, etc.

So now that it appears the hole has been closed, at least from the inside, can I safely assume she has moved them? Can I fill in her other holes? I do not want to kill her or her babies, I would just like them to relocate.

How do I prevent this from happening again? We never saw rats until we got chickens.

The run fence is buried 1.5 feet, she just dug under it. So I am not sure what I can do to keep them out.

Help!

 

[bobbi-j]

Rats are dirty, nasty and destructive. They will eat your feed, eat your eggs, chew up your coop, and kill your baby chicks. Kill them. Put out poison where your chickens, children and other pets can't get at it. They will multiply like crazy. Below is a chart I found on the reproduction of Norway Rats. I don't know if yours are Norways or not, but I would think it would be similar in any breed of rat. Think about this: 8-12 babies per litter. They start reproducing at 2-3 months. So, those babies will be reproducing soon. Even if only half of them are females, each of them having 8-12 babies every couple of months or so, then those babies having more babies in a couple of months... It's way too much math for my brain to handle.


Litter Size:
8-12 pups per litter
No. of Litters:
4-7 per year
Sexual Maturity:
2-3 months
Gestation Period:
22 days
Breeding Season:
Indoors: All year; Outdoors: Spring & Fall

 

[MimiChick]

If you feel the problem is small enough, i.e. just the one rat (although usually it's not that simple), and you don't want to kill it, put poison out, or anything like that I may have a solution for you. We had a problem with rats a couple of years ago. There were a lot at the time, so I did put out some poison bait to at least cut down on the numbers. But then I planted mint all around my coop and run. Once the mint began to take over (and it doesn't take long), no more rats. No tunnels, no spilled out food, gone. I don't even see mice anymore. And we live in the woods where there are plenty of little rodents running around.
Mint spreads very quickly, grows fast, smells good (to us anyway) and has many medicinal and culinary uses. You'll only need a few plants, maybe one for each linear yard you want to cover. I first heard about this on this site a few years ago. It worked for others, and it worked for us. Might not hurt to give it a try.
Good luck.

 

[retlaw]

Maybe that's why you got them.
Someone relocated them to your house.

There is no relocating of rats.
Killing them, is the only way to keep them out

 

[piphens7]

I am freaking out now , I am going to plant a massive amount of mint, everywhere,

 

[JackE]

Rats are dirty, nasty and destructive. They will eat your feed, eat your eggs, chew up your coop, and kill your baby chicks. Kill them. Put out poison where your chickens, children and other pets can't get at it. They will multiply like crazy. Below is a chart I found on the reproduction of Norway Rats. I don't know if yours are Norways or not, but I would think it would be similar in any breed of rat. Think about this: 8-12 babies per litter. They start reproducing at 2-3 months. So, those babies will be reproducing soon. Even if only half of them are females, each of them having 8-12 babies every couple of months or so, then those babies having more babies in a couple of months... It's way too much math for my brain to handle.


Litter Size:
8-12 pups per litter
No. of Litters:
4-7 per year
Sexual Maturity:
2-3 months
Gestation Period:
22 days
Breeding Season:
Indoors: All year; Outdoors: Spring & Fall

X2, No mercy as far as rats are concerned. You don't get rid of them now, you'll regret it.
Jack

 

[nouveauchick]

Thank you so much for your advice!

I will definitely plant some mint, that seems like a win win.

If I do choose to go the poison route (that multiplication table scared the crap out of me), won't they all just die underneath the chicken run? there could be the potential for a dozen dead rats down there, won't that smell horrible?

Also what if the rats wander out and die in the yard where my dogs or cats are? Or what if they come up and die in the chicken run and the girls nip at them? Aren't there a lot of dangers associated with that?

Thanks again!

 

[Kilsharion]

Thank you so much for your advice!

I will definitely plant some mint, that seems like a win win.

If I do choose to go the poison route (that multiplication table scared the crap out of me), won't they all just die underneath the chicken run? there could be the potential for a dozen dead rats down there, won't that smell horrible?

Also what if the rats wander out and die in the yard where my dogs or cats are? Or what if they come up and die in the chicken run and the girls nip at them? Aren't there a lot of dangers associated with that?

Thanks again!

Mint truly does work wonders. Just be advised...if there are plants anywhere around where you plant your mint...they won't be there long. Mint is amazingly invasive. For many it doesn't matter; but, some have gardens relatively near their coops (ie. me). So, just be aware of what can happen and keep that mint pruned hard to keep it out of your areas you care about. It makes a gorgeous groundcover and effective rodent deterrent; but, it can be a gardener's nightmare.

 

[TXchickmum]

We also planted four different varieties of mint around the coop and in various other places in the yard. -no issues with rodents. -fragrance is wonderful!

 

[aart]

.....If I do choose to go the poison route (that multiplication table scared the crap out of me), won't they all just die underneath the chicken run? there could be the potential for a dozen dead rats down there, won't that smell horrible?

Also what if the rats wander out and die in the yard where my dogs or cats are? Or what if they come up and die in the chicken run and the girls nip at them? Aren't there a lot of dangers associated with that?

Thanks again!

I'd rather use traps just for the stink and possibly poisoning other animals reasons.

Large snap traps or bucket traps are pretty awesome if you've got a few DIY skills.
Just do a search here and/or google for 'bucket trap', there are several variations.