Big Scary RATS!!!

[ladybug99]

I am new to this chicken raising thing.. my coop is an old metal refrigeration trailor.. the girls have an enclosed covered run.. we have about three inches of bluestone all around the run and around the coop... we have a chicken door that leads out to the run and a heavy metal door that leads into the coop....we have a nice little area where we keep the food and other goodies and another cage for the girls with nesting boxes.

The other day while cleaning up the coop I noticed the cutest little paw prints on the top of my galvinized garbage cans that we keep the feed in.. never thought much about them I figured they were chickmunks trying to get the feed during the day.... well boy was I wrong... I was running late tonight and it was just after sundown when I got up to the coop I flashed the light into the chicken yard and scared away 4 of the hugest rats I have ever seen... two went under the coop and who know where the other two went... I just shuttered because the chicken door was open and I thought maybe they ran.

So far they haven't gotton into the food or the caged area but I am sure it won't take them long to figure out to go up the chicken walk into the coop. I really don't mind the little buggers but I am afraid they will carry diseases. It was to dark to see if there were actual holes underthe coop.... but my first thought was to throw some poison pellets down them.... then my DH tells me we will just put out a have a heart trap and drown the little buggers... any other suggestions???

 

[Kyhen]

I would do both. If you saw four, there are probably a lot more. They do carry disease and will kill your chickens. Good luck! I hate Rats!

I have to stay vigilant here to keep the rat population down.

 

[Jferlisi]

Ya i would do both, just make sure you dont put the pellets to close the the chickens so they cant eat them. You could also try and Put some rat traps on the out side of the coop on the bottom. I have a huge rat in my feed storage barn thing and i just put out some traps. im hoping they get him cause he has been smart enough to elude the dogs.

 

[ladybug99]

I just went out to the coop and where the girls have dug out around to coop I can see the rat holes....but you really have to look good.....they are all around the coop actually. Should I stuff some steel wool down the holes with the poison pellets?

 

[MissJenny]

I would not put poison any place where your hens might get to it -- if you are sure that the poison is well out of reach of the hens then down the holes is fine... so long as they can't get there too. Can you set poison outside the coop and run where pets are not likely to reach?

Good luck and let us know what works,
Jenny

 

[Jferlisi]

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I agree. Safety of the girls first. You should also take some rocks and cover the holes inside the coop with them and then dirt. So when you kill the rats others cant get in using there old holes.

 

[ladybug99]

I actually have big huge cobble stones up against the coop.. they burrowed right under them...There are holes where the chickens can't get at the poison... I was thinking maybe shoving the poison pellet way into the hole and then filling them in. The holes are pretty wide now that I look at them.. shouldn't have a problem with pushing the pellets in about six inches in.. that is already under the coop...then covering them up... The girls love to sun them selves in that area up againt the rocks so I won't put any poison there just fill the holes with all kinds of un friendly things LOL... We have identified the cute little tracks on the garbage can lid as squirrel... I think we can elevate that problem by keeping the big door shut during the day for now.

I also think they were going after the left over scratch in the run so today with my cleaning chores today I am going to rake up the yard and stop giving the girls scratch out in the yard for a while.

I will let you know what happens

 

[Judy]

I use Just One Bite (bromadiolone) and have not seen a rat/mouse for ages. It's not difficult to prevent the chickens from getting to it, and if another animal eats a dead rat or mouse, this poison will not harm them. Don't even see mice in the house any more. Last year this time, my cat was eating house mice regularly. Have not seen that this year. I live in the country; certainly prime land for rats/mice.

Just read that Mahroni uses peanut butter on this same poison.

 

[DLS]

how come it won't kill dogs & cats?

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[Tinkspirit70]

Any hole that you dont put the poisen in try using ....oh shoot what is the name of that stuff brillo pads are made of? Steel wool !! My dad use to do that around our place in the winter time to keep them from getting under the house, and it worked. I dont think they enjoy chewing on it. I hope you get rid of them, Good luck )