Something Digging in the Coop and it's Not the Chickens!

[CovenantCreek]

It could also be a skunk. I had a small family of them tunnel under one of the sheds behind my barn. Although I never smelled them anywhere near the coops or barn, my ceramic eggs all vanished from the little coop and I frequently found broken shells in the big coop with little or no egg mess around them. Before you try using a live trap, you might want to make sure there aren't any skunks that could get caught.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

You have Rats alright. Yuck they're the most digusting critters in the world. A KITTEN that I used to have caught at least 6 rats in the time I had her. I would've still had her but the coyotes got her. My poor Socks.

I lost 3 cats this past year to coyotes. Stupid critters. Last summer when I was pouring a new bag of feed into the garbage can a RAT came out of hiding and started eating some food that I spillled. He was only 2 feet away from my right foot!!!!! I shrieked, then the next thing that I knew was that Socks leapted out of nowhere and the rat started to stand up to her but Socks just Leapt and grabbed that stupid rat by the neck and went up to the Barn loft above me and that the last time I saw of THAT rat. I'm hoping that my cat Blue will take on Rats himself.

 

[chookchick]

4 Love---I lost several cats to coyotes too, finally I figured out how to stop the losses. I would call the cats in every night at dusk and give them a treat. Then lock them up for the night, until it was light again in the morning. I never lost a cat after that.

I've just discovered a rat hole to the day run.

Dang I didn't think we had rats around here! My cat is too old and sick to deal with them. I'm gonna try removing all food and putting better skirting around the run.

 

[jhc]

Most likely rats. I'm constantly having to trap and poison them. Two or so years ago I set up a video camera in the coup. Was devasted when I saw 3 dozen rats havin a party after sundown. Now I take precautionary measures on a regular basis to keep the rat situation under control.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
the old timers used to say that for every rat you see, there are 20 more that you did not see.. I firmly believe this..

 

[conny63malies]

Quote:
the old timers used to say that for every rat you see, there are 20 more that you did not see.. I firmly believe this..

same goes for mice and roaches for every one you see there are a 100 more

 

[Cats Critters]

My chickens hate them as mush as I do

I found there main hole in the coop under my metal garbage where I store food so I placed the trap right next to the hole and I want out late today (we had a snow day

) and they had filled in and baired the hole, but I'm still on the look out for them and the trap is still in there.

 

[Sylvie]

Quote:
Only problems with concrete is 1. pricey 2. the coop is all ready built

They sell cement board at Lowes and Home Depot. It comes in sheets and screws down with masonry screws. It could be placed over what you have under the litter. Cheaper than concrete. Usually used as an underlayment for tiles, brick, stone on floors or walls.

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
Only problems with concrete is 1. pricey 2. the coop is all ready built

They sell cement board at Lowes and Home Depot. It comes in sheets and screws down with masonry screws. It could be placed over what you have under the litter. Cheaper than concrete. Usually used as an underlayment for tiles, brick, stone on floors or walls.

I agree.. I never thought of using that..good idea !! it is called cement board or tile backer board, depends where you are buying it from.. I think it comes in 1/2"x30"x60" sheets.. You score it and break it like drywall. and use screws to install it.. However I would use green decking screws if I was installing it on a floor in a chicken coop..

 

[Cats Critters]

They sell cement board at Lowes and Home Depot. It comes in sheets and screws down with masonry screws. It could be placed over what you have under the litter. Cheaper than concrete. Usually used as an underlayment for tiles, brick, stone on floors or walls.

It's dirt under the bedding, so if I do it I would have to add a baise to the coop. Also how mush do this sheets cost?​