Are rats dangerous to chickens?

[Kfults]

I have a couple of barn cats, I feed them daily but they love to hunt! I have not seen an alive mouse, rat or snake near our house in a couple years. ( knock on wood) I find them hunting in the nearby woods and sometimes they bring me a present and leave it on carport.... dead decapitated squirrel, huge rats, mice- during heat of day they lounge under my raised barn in shade.... keeping my fingers crossed they keep up the good work!

 

[drumstick diva]

Hasn't anyone thought to set some Jack Russell terriers loose to have their fun? There are terrier clubs where they want to keep the natural "killing" prey function of the breed.
They would love to get a chance to work their dogs. Just put up the chickens and let the dogs run. There are videos on youtube. to show what happens.

 

[VanUnamed]

I am so sad. today one rat ate the head off one of the kabir hen chicks. I let them out of the brood in an sort-of enclosed space they seem very happy there (outside is often 34C). the chick stuck her head on one side that is slightly larger, and got ate. My house is very old, I have like a cellar with access from the outside, but it has no concrete over the entrace (its a work in progress to properly seal it, it's vry hard to mix concrete with these temps) We do not use the cellar as its dangerous down there, but the rats burrow in there. I don't know how to trap them or get the situation under control. In front of the house Ive got the brooder and 6 adult chickens hang out there, but no feed is ever left overnight or standing for long periods of time. I think rats were there before the chickens too. Any ideas what to do?

 

[VanUnamed]

and today I also counted my cornish cross chicks, two are missing.