Dealing with rats

[BigBlueHen53]

Yes, thank you for this thread, and for featuring it,I've also learned a lot. We have two cats, one of whom is great hunter. She has done a good job, has brought us a rat or two in the past, and even a rabbit, along with mice. But she has been so efficient she only brings us voles, moles and shrews now and rarely a bird, which she releases in the house unharmed. Around here all we need is a good cat.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

@ChicKat

We have both rats and mice. They were both showing up indoors within 24 hours of eachother. So it's probably more of a sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't.

 

[rehdancer]

If you want to not use poison there are folks out there who "rent" their rat terriers or other breeds specifically for rodent control and it appears to be highly successful, although I would say it wouldn't eliminate the rats completely. Likely it would bring down the numbers sufficiently so that other methods would work better, though. I agree strongly that eliminating food sources are your best bet, poison or not.

 

[KaleIAm]

Hate rodents were they shouldn't be -- indoors and in coops/runs. Also hate poisons - for reasons that posters have written in this thread.
Thanks to the contributors.
My preferred method is the walk-the-plank and subsequent drowning in a bucket. I see that one poster said that rats can reach the bait from the edge of the 5-gallon bucket. Makes me wonder if they could also leap out -- being the amazing and agile athletes that they are. Perhaps for rats a 25-gallon plastic tub such as ranchers use to feed molasses supplements to their cows. It would require a longer ramp I'm sure -- but perhaps disable reaching the bait from the rim of the bucket.
View attachment 1969174
One night in the coop.
does anyone know if rats and mice will never inhabit the same territory?

I'm a nanny and my bosses hire a professional pest control to service their homes. The technician, with 30 years of experience, who was just out told me that rats will drive away mice and therefore not occupy the same territory.

I don't doubt his experience, perhaps he has never pest proofed a barn in the country. However, we have BOTH rats and mice in our barn every year. We have more rats than mice. I not only see their droppings, I see them running about. They don't hang out together, but they occupy the same structure.

 

[Fallenone05]

This post is featured. Anyone know what breed is in the featured photo?

It looks like it's related to the Ko Shamo. Not sure if that's the exact breed, but definitely similar!

 

[BDutch]

Yes, thank you for this thread, and for featuring it,I've also learned a lot. We have two cats, one of whom is great hunter. She has done a good job, has brought us a rat or two in the past, and even a rabbit, along with mice. But she has been so efficient she only brings us voles, moles and shrews now and rarely a bird, which she releases in the house unharmed. Around here all we need is a good cat.

Great cat you have. I don't have a cat myself but both our neighbours have 2 cats. 3 of them are hunters. Probably this is the main reason we have no problems with rats and mice.

We live near water and a few years back we did have rats in the garden and in the run too. One cat (2 years old) likes to come in the run and coop. Even found her sleeping in front of a nest box once.

My small bantams do not like cats but there was never a problem with the cats.

 

[maddog7]

I use the electronic traps, ie electrocution. I have used snap, poison, glue, old-formula anti-freeze, cats and electric.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002665ZTC/?tag=backy-20

Electric is the most humane, imo and glue is the cruelest, by far. IMO, poison is dangerous to have around due to potential colateral damage and electric using batteries, the safest. Actually, anti-freeze is by far the most dangerous and should only be used in very specific, enclosed environments and likely illegal ... Don't Do It.

'My' rats seem to prefer dog food. I use Taste of the Wild ... for my dogs and secondarily for the rats.

The truth from my own experience and readings about catching rats is that they need to be studied. Where are their trails? what holes/entrances do they use? etc. Different populations of rats seem to behave differently, eg: 'my' rats don't seem to poop along their trails; pee of course, but rarely poop. Other populations seem to poop everywhere. Black Light Flashlights can be used to see their urine and know their trails. I also recently started using trail cams to check on rat patterns. Very helpful.

I am not familiar with rats around chickens as I am a newby egg farmer. A new learning experience.

 

[Connewarre]

I don't have time today to read through the whole thread but I will relate my experience and successes.

We have 'roof rats' they aren't nearly as big as Norway rats or sewer rats. When they were getting in my coop, I would put a Havahart box trap along the wall and bait it with nuts-usually a pecan have glued to the bait pan with Nutella. I caught 6 in 6 days and that was the end of them.

What do you do with the rats once they are in the Havahart box? Presumably you kill them - what's the fastest, easiest way to do this please?

 

[KYfreerange]

I had a Sheppard LGD once that loved to hunt rats. They stayed away with him around. Just a thought

 

[Wickedchicken6]

What do you do with the rats once they are in the Havahart box? Presumably you kill them - what's the fastest, easiest way to do this please?

Pellet gun. Or give to our ratting cat.