do rats cause problems?

[shaggy]

i got a few rats in my area ... in fact my dogs caught and killed one this morning.

do they cause any type of problems i should be aware of?

 

[old mill poultry]

They can kill your chickens brutally. We had a few last year and they killed some babies so we set up some traps. They can carry diseases too, so best to find a way to get rid of them.

 

[shaggy]

Quote:
how big would the chickens have to be to avoid this danger?

 

[old mill poultry]

I've heard rats killing full grown live chickens and besides they carry rabies and other diseases.

 

[MysticScorpio82]

Yes they do cause problems. They eat your eggs, kill younbg chickens and have been known to attack and injure large chickens. Also they carry diseases (as previously mentioned), the bubonic plague for example (the black death) was caused by the fleas that were living on the rats. They eat your chicken feed. They chew holes in your coops, making it easier for other predators to get in (like coons or foxes). You really need to get rid of them soon. I don't recommend rat poison unless it is in an area you are 100% none of your other animals can get to it. Trap them or call an exterminator and tell them your situation. I hope everything works out!

 

[Polish Chickens]

You better start killing those rats as they are capable of killing your chickens and also snakes are attracted to rats and mice which they eat these rodents

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Rats do not carry rabies. My son was bitten by a rat a few years ago. We took him to the ER and we were assured that rats do not carry rabies.

Worst thing about rats, OK 2 worst things. They eat your feed and manytimes will eat eggs. Best to get rid of them.......Pop

 

[shaggy]

i appreciate the advice

now to figure out how to keep them away

my dogs manage to catch one here and there --- great sport

 

[Polish Chickens]

Quote:
My advise is to keep your feed contained in metal trash bins or containers and also to put out rat bait that will eventually kill them

Also keep your flock and dogs away from the rat bait

 

[aidenbaby]

Get a couple of mousers. I have 4 cats (1 is my mothers) and they are all killers. They've caught everything from the throngs of mice that used to live here to birds in flight to snakes (well, grass snakes). If you do go with cats, please make sure they are spayed or neutered. I haven't found that it takes any of the killer out of them and you won't have any unwanted litters.