freaking RATS!!!

[shelleyd2008]

This is getting ridiculous. We have been putting poison out, the dog has been killing them, and still they are everywhere!

I've tried the peanut butter balls with plaster of paris, but they don't even eat them. I can only use poison and traps (snap) in the house since all my birds free range, and I can't afford a live trap (like 1 would do any good

).

Last night they killed and completely ate one of my quail, right in the cage, and they also killed and mostly ate one of my dad's pigeons. Dad's dog kills probably at least 10 a day, but it's not even putting a dent in the population......






HELP!!!

ETA: I was told that soda (Pepsi, Coke) would kill rats, will it hurt the chickens? If I put some bowls of soda out there and the chickens get into that, will it kill them too? I'm desperate right now!

 

[jenjscott]

Here's one from the other day that explains setting up a rat trap under a box

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=3054045#p3054045

 

[patman75]

You could try the "50 gallon Barrel of death".

5 Gallon for Mice, 50 gallon for rats

Fill a 35 or 50 gallon plastic barrel or garbage can 1/2 or 2/3 full of water.

Put a piece of wood like a 2X4 across the top/opening and along the sides as ramps.

Put of heavy layer of sunflower seeds in the water, the seeds will float and it will look like a bucket of sunflower seeds.

The mice, chimpmunk, rat, etc will jump in the barrel to get the sunflowers and then drown because they will not be able to get out.

Just make sure there is a good gap between the top and the water level so they dont get out.

Cheap and easy. Good luck!

Or invest in a large cat population, keep them a little hungry.

 

[Justino]

Quote:
now that just sounds evil

but now i know what to do if my house ever gets rat infested lol

 

[ams3651]

when we had a bad rat problem on the farm when i was a kid my dad welcomed barn cats and also put poison every where he could find a hole. Tomcat works the best, you can get it by the bucket at Tractor Supply or a feed mill. I may be wrong but even the scent of a cat may deter them from certain areas. It will take a while to get rid of them. He would also sit out in the early evening and shoot them with a pistol.

I like the barrel idea, maybe try everything. Good luck

 

[bufforp89]

i read that dehydreated potato flakes work well. You put them out for the rats to eat and also put out water for them . They will stuff themselves and then drink and the potatoes will expand killing them. It sounds bad but its prolly no worse than poison.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

They sell poison bait boxes, basically it's a plastic box that "holds" the poison and the rats go in to eat it. It keeps the poison safe from other animals.

When the rats got out of control out in the chicken coop, we had to resort to poison. It was getting ridiculous out there, they get to the point they aren't even afraid of you or the chickens and run out there and eat WITH the chickens as you feed.

Use the poison and dispose of any rat bodies you find.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I have read that, but I was wondering about it as well. Like the soda, the potato flakes cause the rats to bloat. Would either of these hurt the chickens if they were to get into them? I'm pretty desperate! I mean, if the nasty things will get into the pigeon coop and catch and eat a bird right off the roost, they are getting pretty brave

ETA: We picked up some more rat poison today, the bucket of Jaguar I'd gotten before was gone already. We got the Just One Bite stuff this time, so hopefully it will knock them out faster. Dad's going to tie his pit bull up by the pigeon coop, if he's not able to reach the rats, at least he might be able to keep them at bay

As soon as I get my son off the bus I'll be reinforcing my quail cages. Luckily the one they took was a male, and I have extras. But I don't raise them to feed the darn pests with!

 

[jlbpa]

Find someone responsible with an air gun (pellet rifle) . Rat shooting is one of our passions.

 

[Atlchick]

RATS! I hate 'em, too! Our rats are ignoring the poison and going back in for the Chick Starter. Which means - I have 4 week old chicks that I'm worried about! They sleep under their momma, but it chills me to see the rat droppings around their pen. HATE 'EM.