Rats

[nouveauchick]

Thank you all for your input! I don't personally know anyone that has chickens so these boards prove invaluable to me when I have questions!

So we decided to dig out a moat around the run and fill it with cement. (We found several burrow holes). When we built the run we buried the hardware cloth about a foot deep but apparently that just wasn't effective at keeping those critters out. So we are digging about a foot and a 1/2 deep and pouring cement. I am hoping that this will prevent burrowing? I was thinking about laying hardware cloth along the bottom of the run to keep them from digging up into it, but I'm worried that the hens' feet will hurt from walking on the wire. Although, I suppose I could fill it over with dirt and they'd be fine?

Once the cement is dry I am going to fill it over with soil and plant a mint border around my coop and run.

I am hoping that this is enough to keep them out!

Do you think this sounds like an effective plan?

 

[TERRY4]

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!

You're worrying about moving the babies. Kill them! I'm sorry to be so blunt but rats are horrible. At least wild ones are. They can carry disease for one thing.

 

[TXchickmum]

Thank you all for your input! I don't personally know anyone that has chickens so these boards prove invaluable to me when I have questions!

So we decided to dig out a moat around the run and fill it with cement. (We found several burrow holes). When we built the run we buried the hardware cloth about a foot deep but apparently that just wasn't effective at keeping those critters out. So we are digging about a foot and a 1/2 deep and pouring cement. I am hoping that this will prevent burrowing? I was thinking about laying hardware cloth along the bottom of the run to keep them from digging up into it, but I'm worried that the hens' feet will hurt from walking on the wire. Although, I suppose I could fill it over with dirt and they'd be fine?

Once the cement is dry I am going to fill it over with soil and plant a mint border around my coop and run.

I am hoping that this is enough to keep them out!

Do you think this sounds like an effective plan?

-sounds like a fine plan to me. -best of luck!

 

[RedReiner]

Thank you all for your input!  I don't personally know anyone that has chickens so these boards prove invaluable to me when I have questions!

So we decided to dig out a moat around the run and fill it with cement. (We found several burrow holes).  When we built the run we buried the hardware cloth about a foot deep but apparently that just wasn't effective at keeping those critters out.  So we are digging about a foot and a 1/2 deep and pouring cement.  I am hoping that this will prevent burrowing?  I was thinking about laying hardware cloth along the bottom of the run to keep them from digging up into it, but I'm worried that the hens' feet will hurt from walking on the wire.  Although, I suppose I could fill it over with dirt and they'd be fine?

Once the cement is dry I am going to fill it over with soil and plant a mint border around my coop and run.

I am hoping that this is enough to keep them out!

Do you think this sounds like an effective plan?

 

-sounds like a fine plan to me. -best of luck!

I have had rats dig/chew/tunnel thru the asphalt into my horse stalls. a foot and a half of concrete is nothing to a rat.... kill them, put your coop on blocks so no where to hide under it, plant mint, pick up all food every night. mine finally died or left from poison and putting the chicken feeders in the middle of an open barn where the cats live, they gave up and moved... most of them anyway

 

[grandpaw roo]

They WILL breed!
They WILL multiply!
They WILL start feeding on your birds!
They WON"T go away!
As I posted before.
POISON THEM! The best way to get rid of them.Build wooden boxes and bore a 2 1/2"hole in it.Load it with the all weather bars/blocks.Rats can get in but you chickens can't.The stuff that looks like dog food ends up getting stashed and not eaten.As long as they are eating it keep feeding and DON'T STOP till they stop eating.Remove your chicken feed at nite BUT make sure there is water for the rats to drink.This is a MUST for it to work!

 

[lisa t]

...recently found rat poop in my nest...any correlation to chickens not laying?!?!?...

 

[aart]

...recently found rat poop in my nest...any correlation to chickens not laying?!?!?...

Rats could be eating the eggs....or the chickens may be freaked out and laying elsewhere?
How old are you birds and have they been laying regularly?

 

[lisa t]

...found out that I have too much shade in my yard in the summer...they need vitamin d sun to make eggs--trimmed vines and trees and vwalla--eggs the very next day!!!...

 

[lisa t]

...thanks I'm sure it did freak them out but I've found out the real issue behind no eggs--no sun!!!...no sun no vitamin d...trimmed vines and trees and eggs the very next day!!!...

 

[lisa t]

...thanks I'm sure it did freak them out but I've found out the real issue behind no eggs--no sun!!!...no sun no vitamin d...trimmed vines and trees and eggs the very next day!!!...