Can rats kill ducks in anyway?

[Rileedale]

So just about an hour ago my boyfriend and I were walking down by the pond to see the ducks. They’re all inside at the moment because it is getting dark. But anyways, we saw a dark gray animal about half a foot long just eating something by the duck pen, and my boyfriend got closer and said it was a RAT. I’ve NEVER ever seen a rat in my life and I am horrified. It saw us and ran under the pen. My dad has some rat poison he said he was going to give me but I have no idea how long these rats have been living down there, which freak me out. But later on, we walked down again to see it and it was eating again. But this time it ran under an old camper that we don’t use. I am horrified that it’ll hurt my younger ducks, we just moved them from the brooder to the oen last night. And they seem to be doing fine. But will it hurt the little ones?? Helpppp

 

[Rileedale]

UPDATE. My boyfriend jsut told me he saw the rat trying to get into the pen, and my pekin pecked at it and the rat ran away.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

I’ve had rats kill my ducklings and attack one of my pigeons (the rat took one of his legs off clean).

As long as the ducks are large they should be fine.

 

[chickens really]

Was it maybe an Opossum?..

 

[Callender Girl]

I, too, saw my first rat this year. I thought I'd had seen one earlier in the spring, but then nothing. Late in the summer, I spotted one running past one of my coops and sprinting into a tree hollow.

I hate to kill things, but while I was concerned about the rat harming my birds, I also read that they carry a lot of potential for spreading disease. So, I set out live traps and waited. My research indicated that rats are wary of new things and would probably ignore the live traps for some time.

I also set out a kill trap but hoped the live trap would work. I hot glued dog food onto the kill trap mechanism and was a bit relieved the next morning when the trap was empty. I didn't want to deal with a dead, mangled rat. However, when I went outside I found the rat had eaten the bait, escaped the trap and died about 2 feet away. There wasn't a mark on its body.

I have become much more careful about leaving uneaten poultry feed out and continue to store unused feed in metal garbage cans to make the birds' area less attractive.

I don't put out poison -- including for the army of field mice who will be migrating toward my house as harvest continues in Iowa and cold weather approaches -- because I don't want to kill unintended victims. (In fact, I usually live trap mice in Kness traps and relocate them far down a country road. Mice that invade my car, however, are dispatched with Tom Cat snap traps. I don't want to be startled by a tiny, furry invader while I am driving).

 

[Callender Girl]

I, too, saw my first rat this year. I thought I'd had seen one earlier in the spring, but then nothing. Late in the summer, I spotted one running past one of my coops and sprinting into a tree hollow.

I hate to kill things, but while I was concerned about the rat harming my birds, I also read that they carry a lot of potential for spreading disease. So, I set out live traps and waited. My research indicated that rats are wary of new things and would probably ignore the live traps for some time.

I also set out a kill trap but hoped the live trap would work. I hot glued dog food onto the kill trap mechanism and was a bit relieved the next morning when the trap was empty. I didn't want to deal with a dead, mangled rat. However, when I went outside I found the rat had eaten the bait, escaped the trap and died about 2 feet away. There wasn't a mark on its body.

I have become much more careful about leaving uneaten poultry feed out and continue to store unused feed in metal garbage cans to make the birds' area less attractive.

I don't put out poison -- including for the army of field mice who will be migrating toward my house as harvest continues in Iowa and cold weather approaches -- because I don't want to kill unintended victims. (In fact, I usually live trap mice in Kness traps and relocate them far down a country road. Mice that invade my car, however, are dispatched with Tom Cat snap traps. I don't want to be startled by a tiny, furry invader while I am driving).

 

[John123john]

I think they are can't do it, but for more safety read this article about rats and how to get rid of them.

 

[Tammylynn39]

I’ve had rats kill my ducklings and attack one of my pigeons (the rat took one of his legs off clean).

As long as the ducks are large they should be fine.

Can they get a disease from it