Backyard Disaster

[Yaknbike]

Hi everyone, I started tending chickens about 10 months ago & thought they were so amusing. I gave them the run of the backyard so I could watch them do their thing, which was destroy my backyard over 3 months. Having learned my lesson, they are back in their pen, which is about 40’ x 7’. They are certainly not as happy, but my yard is recovering slowly & I don’t have to clean up poop off my deck everyday.... i do have a few problems though, #1 I have a rat infestation because of the large ravine behind my house & I electrified my feeder. After months of trying to trap them, I’ve given up, any ideas? #2 I also have some problems with chickens loss of feathers on their backs in front of their tails, could this be rat related or being picked on? Glad to have found this site....

 

[Isaac 0]

Welcome to BYC!

Weight-Activated feeders work quite well at deterring pest, feather loss around the back makes me think you have too many roosters. What's your ratio?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Make yourself at home and enjoy the forums.

Best wishes

Pork Pie

 

[igorsMistress]

If you have a rooster then the ladies with the feather issues are likely favorites. Once they molt their feathers will come back in.

Have you considered poison down near the ravine? That's the only way we were able to get rid of the rats. We used the lockbox type and set out a few.

 

[Yaknbike]

I don’t have any roosters & will try the poison by the ravine. At his point I have tried different types of traps & they seem to have figured them out. Also will give the weight activated feeder a shot, tho I haven’t seen those. I’ll search them out. Thanks

 

[Tre3hugger]

I don’t have any roosters

I have heard that rats will nibble feathers and take them for nest making materials. No experience with it personally but if you have no roos and your chickens aren't molting and are parasite free, rats very well may be the culprit.

 

[featherhead007]

I would not suggest poison. If a poisoned rat or mouse gets in your coop, and the chickens eat the rodent, then they eat poison too, and will die!

 

[Isaac 0]

I would not suggest poison. If a poisoned rat or mouse gets in your coop, and the chickens eat the rodent, then they eat poison too, and will die!

X2!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Welcome to our FUNomenal community!
Best of luck!

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC. Most likely your birds have developed the bad habit of feather pecking/plucking while confined during the winter.