Any tricks for getting rid of rats?

[AngelaY]

Early this summer, we started noticing signs of rats around the yard. About A week later we saw one. A few weeks later they were a common sight, and their holes were EVERYWHERE! We've tried so many things to try to get rid of them but nothing works (even with a hunter cat that kills up to 7 rats a week, and a HUGE owl living/hunting in our yard). This has gotten out of control. Any advice? Tips and tricks? Anything will help.

 

[Monem]

Early this summer, we started noticing signs of rats around the yard. About A week later we saw one. A few weeks later they were a common sight, and their holes were EVERYWHERE! We've tried so many things to try to get rid of them but nothing works (even with a hunter cat that kills up to 7 rats a week, and a HUGE owl living/hunting in our yard). This has gotten out of control. Any advice? Tips and tricks? Anything will help.

Carefully using poisonous baits that do not kill instantly for the rats not to notice.

 

[cmom]

I had a rat infestation in one of my coops. When I started to renovate it, dozens of rats of all sizes came out. There were rat nests in the ceiling and walls which I removed. I tried several things and still had lots of rats. I finally bought a couple of rat bait stations and put them in the barn behind my coops where only the rats could get to them because I had seen rats in there too. The baits that came with the bait stations the rats didn't seem to like it so I bought some bait that the feed store down the road used. I like the bait stations because they have a little window above the bait so I could check it daily. The rats loved the new bait. Eventually it got to the point that the baits were hardly touched and I didn't see any rats. I never found any dead rats. I did notice some tunnels around the coops so I assume the rats went into their tunnels and died. Now I check the baits weekly and have had no activity. This is what I used. If you are worried about a pet getting to the bait, put it under a laundry basket with a block on top. Nothing should be able to get to it but the rats.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Rat traps, & Guineafowl.
Haven't seen a rat since we started trapping, & added guineas.

 

[Monem]

Carefully using poisonous baits that do not kill instantly for the rats not to notice.

Becarful rats may kill chickens and even eat them.

 

[cmom]

I know they will eat eggs and may kill chicks but so far have never had any kill my adult birds. I had a coop that was infested with them.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Very easy to do. Stop feeding them. They will leave.

Put your bulk feed in metal barrels, get a treadle feeder that is actually rat proof and don't trust the marketing claims, find the reviews online from independent sites that do not sell ads or link to Amazon to earn a referral fee.

Do a forum search for treadle feeder and you will find tons of threads discussing the problem.