Bad bad rat problem! Please help!

[tnkinhunting]

Miss Prissy - I have seen my share of mice, rats, and the damage they can do especially to caged birds - pigeon's, setting hen's and little chicks - I have had them kill and eat them.

Thank you for the info on getting rid of them. I am going to start putting it out in the barn tonite.

I can't leave it out during the day - birds, and chipmunks - don't want to kill them.

I am also going to do the concrete/oatmeal mix - thanks panner123!

 

[LynneP]

After you solve this rat problem, be sure to lift the planks on the coop floor, lay down 1/2" galvanized mason wire in such a way that no passage exists for rats, then lay the planks back.

Cats can prevent rats from starting, but you'd need a lot (ferals?) and full-grown rats are too much for a few cats. Oh and I assume you keep your chicken feed (and all animal feed) in covered metal containers?

There's an electrnic repellant called Riddex, too, which emits a sound repugnant to rats. It's widely used in food stores and warehouses. Each plug-in unit is about $20.

 

[Dilly]

HI. I know this may be an old topic. BUT can anyone that has used the powered sugar and plaster of paris combination please post the ratio of the mixture. How much of plaster to sugar so they will gobble this goodie up?
I do not think we have a problem except for an occasional sighting of a nest, but suspect chickens and feed will inspire them to come visit. SO I want to start early with leaving this out for them. Sort of a welcome to our barn gift.

 

[Love my Critters!]

My husband used to be an exterminator. You can get traps or sticky pads. Mice and rats will travel along the outside walls to go somewhere. They like to keep close to the 'sides' of anything. They will not travel "down the middle of an area". This is hard to explain, sorry. Just put the traps and sticky glue pads along the walls and you will catch them faster.

 

[mmajw]

Nothing a whole lot of decon won't take care of just make sure that any other animals cant get to it. It only kills animals that cant throw up.

 

[MissPrissy]

I would never put out poison where a chicken could eat a dying mouse that has ingested poison.

I mix it 1 parts sugar to 1 part plaster. Just a few kibbles of smelly dog food or cat food to get their attn.

 

[Dilly]

Thank you so much. I just did not want to over due on the sugar and just treat the darn things.

I have only seen two this year in the wood pile, one had a nest and babies got em good and dead. lol I hate mice and rats, just nasty.

I am so glad to of learned of this plaster and sugar suggestion. I think if I just leave it out, if we have any residual occupants they will soon be just solid blobs of stone.

 

[SueNH]

Not the way I'd usually do it but I flooded twice this winter with over 3 feet of water in the barns and coops. I actually saw a rat trying to swim against the current. When he saw me he dove to his usual home under the barn. Since the water was way over the floor it was a bad mistake.

I haven't seen a rat or mouse in the barn since.

Rat sized havahart traps are cheap. Bait them with peanut butter and you get one every time. Then you take them swimming.

My cats do an ok job but they aren't always that motivated. I have seen the chickens hunt mice and rat pinkies are a delicacy. I uncovered a nest once and the hens pounced and tore horribly. I had to leave. Little too much like Jurassic park.

 

[mmajw]

Quote:
They may or may not kill your chickens depends on if they are weak or sick or bleeding. However, I do know that rats and mice are carriers of salmonella. When we had a rat problem the chickens ended up eating some rat poop and began getting sick and dying and I had the state vet come out and check them and he found they had salmonella from what he felt was rat contamenation. Good luck and try hard to get rid of those rats. If the chickens start acting funny and not moving much you may want to start antibiotic in their water.

 

[gypsygirl1421]

Rats are very neophobic and its fairly difficult to catch them in a snap trap.You would have to leave a snap trap set for a vast amount of time in order for them to get used to it. Bait the traps with feathers, cotton fluff or some type of nesting material or peanut butter and bacon fat mixed together but don't set the traps for the first 2 weeks. After that period set them and you will get better results. The block form of bait, like Contrac Cake work well because if you use pellets, the rats will often put the pellet in its cheek pouch to store and get a low dose that way, which will make it feel sick and not try the bait again and now you've just educated the rat. The blocks are best because rats have to actively chew. Purchase an enclosed bait station so the wrong animal doesn't eat it. Also look for a repeating rat trap, they can work well in the right situation.