Are rats dangerous?!!

[Ozkan]

Hi
I have very small 7 inches silkies and Im worried about rats as they are the only things that can get into the run and probably coop. Are they dangerous to my chicken? Thanks

 

[ChickenLeg]

A rat could devour a small chicken indeed

 

[WANI]

Hi
I have very small 7 inches silkies and Im worried about rats as they are the only things that can get into the run and probably coop. Are they dangerous to my chicken? Thanks

Yes they not only eat their eggs and spread disease, they will eat a live chicken if hungry especially if the chicken roosts on the floor of the coup at night.

 

[Chickassan]

Yeah, they'll chew on your birds at night.

 

[50-45-1]

Im not sure where you are located but i just lost 4 chickens in one night to a weasel.
The weasel got into the coop thru a whole the size of a quarter.
The rats have come probably for the chicken feed.
Rodents carry lice fleas a d disease. I would try to attach hardware cloth to the coop and run to stop entry of rodents.
Also a snake could also get thru the stuff your rars are.
Good luck!

 

[Folly's place]

Rats will eat eggs, kill chickens, and carry diseases. If they can get in, so can weasels, who will kill everyone in one night.
Security! Hardware cloth everywhere! If you see one rat, or rat 'sign', you likely have many.
Mary

 

[JaeG]

Rats also carry red mites which you don't want in your coop (I speak from experience). There was someone on here who had rats chewing at her large breed chickens feet at night too. I've had rats chew through thick pieces of wood (from underneath where I couldn't see) to get at my quail. They even tried the hardware cloth, managing to bite through a couple of tines before giving up and deciding the thick wood was easier. Horrid creatures! So do take steps to keep them out.

 

[aart]

Rats also carry red mites which you don't want in your coop (I speak from experience).

Thought mites were species specific?
Like.... avian mites would not be living on a mammal.

 

[Folly's place]

Right! Although a critter can have 'hitchhikers' briefly, who won't actually live there.
Avian mites do not actually live on mammals, but rats have their own special disease carrying fleas (think plague) and ticks love everyone!
Mary

 

[Ozkan]

Hi my chickens sleep on the ground of coop is that bad?