Dealing with rats

[cmom]

Each persons situation may be a bit different so the rat problem may have to be dealt with differently. My mistake was when we built this coop we put an inner wall in around the bottom of the coop and the rats chewed holes and made nests in-between the studs. There is actually a stud chewed through enough that the rats could pass by the stud. Now that the cooler weather is here more coop maintenance. Before I took off the infected wood I shut the coop up tightly so the only critters could get into the coop was the rats and loaded it with the rat baits. After a few days I started seeing dead rats which I disposed of. Now I keep baits only in the baited bait boxes in the barn which is directly behind the coops. I haven't seen any rats in quite awhile. I do have game cameras up.

 

[Compost King]

I have used this with great success and other critters can't get to the rat bait.
View attachment 1610147 View attachment 1610148

How big is that hole to enter the bait box? The rat I caught in my have a heart trap would get stuck in trying to fit into that from what I see... then again he only need to get his head in there to eat the poison.

 

[cmom]

The picture might be misleading but the rats here do go in and eat the baits. I check the baits regularly and replace the bait as needed.

 

[Debby in france]

I purchased a rat proof feeder which seems to have got rid of the rats we had. I also keep all feed and bedding in metal dustbins with strong lids (and a weight on the lids). All bits and bobs are in a lockable cupboard outside. I take the water in at night the same as the feed.
Here is a picture of the rat proof feeder.
Good luck.

 

[Folly's place]

Small bantams can't trip those feeders either, so they are useless here. For larger fowl, those feeders would probably help.
Mary

 

[Debby in france]

Mmm, think you misunderstand the feeder. You hang it to the shoulder height of your birds and it remains open for them to take their fill.
If a rat was to try to get some they would have to climb up or down to the entrance in which case their weight would close the feeder door. The door section is on a spring so as soon as the rat comes off it goes back to open again.
Check YouTube. I highly recommend them. I paid 40€ each and got two but seriously wish I had know about them years ago.

 

[Folly's place]

I haven't seen these before. Nice!
Mary

 

[Debby in france]

I haven't seen these before. Nice!
Mary

What was nice was when we put a night vision, movement detector camera on it for four days and saw the rats making total asses of themselves and going away hungry. I now bring mine in at night but just so that the food doesn’t get damp, I will have no worries about leaving them outside in the summer.
Chickens 1 rats 0

 

[cmom]

I put a game camera in my coop that was infested. I'll have to search for the videos as it was a while ago and I forgot the file I stored them in. I had also put a ceiling in the coop and the rats got up in that space too and built nests. When I redid the coop I also tore out the ceiling. Most of my neighbors have outdoor cats and I get them now and then on my cameras prowling around on my property.

 

[Ash0587]

Thanks for all the responses. I have a grandpas feeder so the only thing the rats are going for as far as i can tell is the chicken poop. They also aren't going for any bait in the electric trap im currently trying to use now that its colder and the bugs can't set it off. I know theyre still digging to my run cuz I'm filling in the holes to track their activity. Ive switched back to limiting poison to our shed they chewed into but they arent touching it amyways. Also its the neuro poision in a lock box for rat poison since I wanted to reduce the chance of anything other than rats getting it and to reduce chances of secondary posioning. So for now any suggestions on good bait? Ive used peanut butter, chocolate, cashews, dog, cat and chicken food, and dog treats. Also for the person who asked about the health department, another neighbor has called multiple times and our health department is doing nothing.