Gross Rat Question...

[chickfused]

So the other day I noticed a decaying animal smell in the coop. I didn't think much of it, sometimes things burrow under and live under the floor. Life happens, and so does death. However, today I noticed a bunch of grey fuzz in their tube feeder. (You can see where this is going.) I stuck my hand in there, to pull out what I thought was moldy feed and stuck it right into the body of a maggoty, decaying, rat. The fuzz was fur. After I got done vomiting and subsequently cleaning myself up, I went out and used a garden trowel to get out the body, the maggots, the fur, and about 8 inches of feed that had been on top of the rat.

Do I need to throw out the rest of the feed? Honestly, I really kept thinking my girls might appreciate the maggots...they haunt my compost barrel like crazy...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I would since you aren't 100% certain how the rat died. While its probably pretty likely that it got stuck and died from starvation or thirst, it isn't guaranteed. Unfortunately even if you dont use poisons doesnt mean that your neighbors don't

 

[chickfused]

Let's assume it wasn't poisoned. I'm sure it got itself stuck. All of my neighbors are homesteaders and farmers and no one uses poison. The maggots () were very healthy.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you feel comfortable with the risk, I would personally leave it then

 

[chickfused]

I will leave it then, but put rat proof lids on the tubes going forward. Not an experience I ever care to repeat.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

oh wow that made me gag. You poor thing! Hope the girls enjoyed their ....treat.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Putting lids on a tube feeder just means the rats and mice will eat during the day. I would check feed consumption, a quarter pound of feed per laying hen, ignore the roosters unless you have a bunch of them. Anything past that means you are feeding more than the recently deceased rat.