freaking RATS!!!

[chickerdoodle]

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I tried that, All I caught were neighbours.

 

[HennyPennies2007]

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[stephhassler]

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I had some rats move in recently and worried about the same thing using a snap rat trap. But then I thought, rats mostly come out at night? So I put the snap trap out each night and bring it in during the day so the chickens don't get caught. I've caught 3 rodents so far. The first two were pretty small, but bigger than a regular field mouse. Babies maybe. But the last one - YUCK - it was a big ol rat. Totally gross. I don't know why they came. My chicken food is all kept inside the garage - completely away from the coop. I do have a compost pile outside by the coop. Do you suppose the rats like to eat from the compost pile? If so, I might have to think about not composting anymore.

 

[ErieSpurs]

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Evil but good idea. I know someone who just places a 5 gallon bucket of Anitfreeze (Ethylene glycol) in his barn. Pulls out buckets of mice and rats. They are attracted to it because it is sweet tasting. Very dangerous though. I would avoid this method.

Guineas and Buckeye Chickens are supposed to be great for mice/rat control. But that only really helps during the day.

I've used the TSC brands and all work good. Dcon never worked for our rats. We put out multiple packs in the barn for several days. The rats would eat all of it and we noticed no drop in the rat population.

 

[jenjscott]

Yes, very dangerous. It works wonderful for poisoning dogs too.

 

[Lorimary]

You're so right. About poisoning dogs. Rats have eaten all the wiring in our cars ($1500) and are eating the bark off of our trees not to mention eating our laying mash. We have HUGE ones! We're so exasperated, but...... poison is NOT the answer. Mice and rats live for several days after being poisoned. This allows dogs, cats, and hawks and owls to eat them and die. I might get angry enough to drown them in the 50 gallon barrel, (which seems inhumane, as it takes hours to drown) but as attractive as poison sounds for effectiveness, it's really a danger to many other things, and if they go into their burrows to die, you now have poison in the ground where you might want to grow food? We have put up owl houses at 4 surrounding homes. You can look up the info online. The vineyards / vegetable farms in CA are using them VERY effectively, as an owl with a brood can consume 3000 rats a season. (Some owls breed up to three times with 8 chicks or more each time).

 

[Davis5454]

I say you combine all methods....

Put out a 50 gallon barrel of Ethylene Glycol.........eat the peanut butter........drink the beer........and strap on the pellet gun to keep the neighbors away.


Yup.....with enough beer......you won't care about the rats any more.

 

[Eggsnchix]

Try locating a commercial pest control supplier and get some glue boards. The rat steps on it and is stuck. Pick it up and dispose in a garbage can. As for a cat or dog to control the population, I wouldn't allow it. Rats carry disease which could kill your pet. Install owl boxes as mentioned.

 

[Windy Ridge Farm]

We had a terrible problem until I got two kittens for the barn. Have had no problem since they got old enough to hunt. Used the 22 pistol with rat shot in it until the kittens got old enough. (I'm still fixing holes in the roof from the rat shot.) Good luck!

 

[Ladyhawke1]

I have not read all of the post here yet however…

I am not sure I have any solutions for the chicken pen but I do have a solution if these critters are in your house or under your roof. And you can hear them….just turn off the TV and listen.

Oh, because of our society’s taboos, we do not want to admit that we may have rats and mice are in our houses. Society makes it sound like we are not clean people if we do have a rodent problem.

However, that is not true. As with most creatures like these…they get hungry and they need shelter and go where they will. The smallest unnoticeable opening is theirs for the taking.

If you want to totally poison yourself and your families and possibly causing future damage to your health...hey then go-ahead get those exterminators with their SAFE ways of getting rid of these pests. Or go ahead and use any of the other so called “safe” chemicals.

For ten years, I used one of those electronic gadgets you plug into the wall and it worked. It worked really well. The sound which it produced and which I could not hear and did not bother my indoor animals sure bothered the critters. They were gone the first night I used it. It is important to get one that really does what it is supposed to do. Do not waist your money on a knock off version.

Now this unit after it ten years of success is not working and I think it has died. What I use now in the house is really simple. I do not recommend this in the animal pens. I pour Clorox down all the drains in the house. I leave it for a few minutes and then follow it with a flow of cold water. Do not asphyxiate your selves.

Mice and rats take advantage of any pipe that maybe leaking and that is where they get their moisture. Even if your pipes may not “leak”, the flumes from the Clorox, better known as chlorine….or as in World War One….”mustard-gas”, seeps through the seams of the pipes. This will cause the beasties to evacuate immediately and they will stay away…until the next time. So every few weeks, I toss a cupful a Clorox down the drains. How easy is that? I welcome any comments.