Can I feed my chickens rats that I caught in the coop

[Bryce Thomas]

I hear its OK to do but I just don't want any of my chickens getting diseases or anything, I spotted a rat in the coop and I am going to set out a trap to trap it tomorrow and I wanna see if I can feed it to my rooster or something or if that's not ok to do

EDIT: if the rat is already dead can I just throw it into the composter or something?

 

[cherrynberry]

I hear its OK to do but I just don't want any of my chickens getting diseases or anything, I spotted a rat in the coop and I am going to set out a trap to trap it tomorrow and I wanna see if I can feed it to my rooster or something or if that's not ok to do

EDIT: if the rat is already dead can I just throw it into the composter or something?

I don’t see the need to do that, even if you don’t put out poison and it’s okay, I would not, just due to cleanliness.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Dead rat in the compost is fine as long as the pile isn’t too small to get hot. Probably best to bury the corpse in the middle of the pile a bit.

 

[danceswithronin]

I might put it in compost (probably not because I think it would stink) but I wouldn't give it to my chicks to eat, just because I'd be afraid it might have internal parasites or it might be poisoned.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Do you have a wood chipper by chance?

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Do you have a wood chipper by chance?

Yeah, neighbors annoying messy tree mysteriously vanished a week after buying it

 

[The Moonshiner]

Freeze dead rats for 7 days.
Throw in chipper and aim into run.

 

[Folly's place]

Bury it deep, or wrap in plastic for the trash. I wouldn't feed it to anyone!
And handle it with gloves on.
Mary

 

[Bryce Thomas]

Well with that information im assuming you have done this before. Can I do it with fish like largemouth bass and rainbow trout instead?

 

[The Moonshiner]

Well with that information im assuming you have done this before. Can I do it with fish like largemouth bass and rainbow trout instead?

Sh!t no.
Eat those yourself.