Help...Rats

[Liz Birdlover]

My friends have chickens, ducks & turkeys, about 30 birds total. Rats have infested their barn, in walls & digging tunnels. Last night they started chewing on sleeping birds.
I have never dealt with rats before, and I have been reading up, I see various suggestions but I want to know the best ways any of you have dealt with this & were actually successful.
Removing food sources is essential, but then obviously the rats will seek out something else to eat...the poor birds themselves.

 

[The-White-Elephant]

me, personally, I had 2-3 (mice, not rats), and all 3 times the chickens killed them. The 1st time, the ended up eating it

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Traps and removing feed at night. We use the box live trabs, snap traps and glue traps, as well as literally smacking them with dust pans when we can. Clear out nests whenever you see them, and feed any pinkies to the birds

 

[Geena]

My friends have chickens, ducks & turkeys, about 30 birds total. Rats have infested their barn, in walls & digging tunnels. Last night they started chewing on sleeping birds.
I have never dealt with rats before, and I have been reading up, I see various suggestions but I want to know the best ways any of you have dealt with this & were actually successful.
Removing food sources is essential, but then obviously the rats will seek out something else to eat...the poor birds themselves.

With that kind of infestation they'll need to use poison, or a pack of terriers.

 

[KingD]

Poison is always best in my opinion. Traps will not catch the babies and females in the nests which makes them useless for serious cases such as what you are dealing with.
I use bait boxes (Google them) which stop hens and other animals consuming the poison. Hang the chicken feeders from chains so that the rats can not get to the feed. They may jump but it's unlikely.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Their property has a perimeter fence, but it is not rodent proof. Inside the fenced portion, the flock can pretty much free range. They have the small barn & other areas to roost at night, but rats are all over. So their whole set up just sort of keeps the dogs in, however rodents have full access & a fox has tried to dig holes to get in.

I suggested they build predator proof coops & pens, with the welded wire (hardware cloth) like I have. I don't know any other way to separate birds from rats.

At my place, I have foxes, owls & hawks 24/7, so I have minimal rodent issues, but obviously I cannot free range my flock.

I'm thinking free ranging makes it a much harder way to get rid of a rodent infestation.

Poison...well the poison itself is in bait boxes, but what about chickens that may eat or peck a dead rodent that's been poisoned?

Rat Terriers may be a good idea. Another dog to train, though, & they already have 2 dogs & a few cats. Yes, cats do catch some rats, but not enough.

I'm just wondering what else you free rangers do?

 

[cmom]

I also use poison, but responsibly. I have rat bait stations. I put them in pet carrier or cage where nothing but the rats can get to them. I had an infestation before. One of my coops was infested. When I renovated the coop, dozens of rats of all sizes poured out. I tried many different things to no avail. I didn't find any dead rats laying around from the poison so I assumed they went into their tunnels and died. Good luck...

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I also use poison, but responsibly. I have rat bait stations. I put them in pet carrier or cage where nothing but the rats can get to them. I had an infestation before. One of my coops was infested. When I renovated the coop, dozens of rats of all sizes poured out. I tried many different things to no avail. I didn't find any dead rats laying around from the poison so I assumed they went into their tunnels and died. Good luck...

That's a good idea, placing inside a cage. I think if they placed some inside the wall hole, that would work as well.

 

[Al Gerhart]

it is pretty hard to fence out rodents as they will find a way in or make one.

Howard E. is a long time poster on BYC and his posts are the best information out there on dealing with rodents.
I copied and pasted below one of his replies from several years back that has some excellent advice. People tend to run one of two ways, willing to invest in an expensive feeder or willing to fight a battle with rodents and find another way. Only you can say which you have more of; time or money.

Here is Howard E.'s past post:

"To the OP (and others like them), if you will spend the time, everything you need to know about rats and how to get ride of them will be found in the links below......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-the-video-series.1337456/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-101.1283827/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/#post-18610285
This last one is a review of a rat proof chicken feeder built and sold by a BYC member, who is a staunch advocate for the plan of getting rid of rats by starving them out. Remove all sources of feed and they will be forced to move on or starve to death. If you are firmly against the use of poison bait blocks......for whatever reason.......then this is one of the best actions you can take. Bulk food in metal trash cans.....chicken feed in metal rat proof feeders. Can't get to the feed and birds do not spill and waste feed that the rats can survive on."

And the short version of Howard's post? Sanitation, exclusion, elimination.

Sanitation, bulk feed in metal cans or barrels with tight fitting lids, a treadle feeder, clean up the avenues of movement so the rodents have no cover to protect them from their natural predators. In my opinion and experience this is the quickest, surest, and cheapest way to solve a rodent problem.

Exclusion, plugging the holes and building a Fort Knox chicken coop and not leaving an opening for free range. Tough to do and expensive but it could work for rats.

Elimination, poison and traps. Problem is that rats are smart and will quickly learn to avoid both traps and poison bait. Were you to clean them out, the lack of sanitation would mean a new population of rodents would move right in. And there is risk and no end to the process, keeping fresh bait out. However, if you have done your sanitation using poison becomes effective as the rats are starving and will likely try the poison bait. Not needed though, they will leave in a few days as long as you are not feeding the rodents with a compost pile or other animal feed. Not all will leave, your area will have a natural carrying capacity for rodents, natural feed, but that natural ability to sustain rodents is quite small and the natural predators keep them in check and under cover as the rodents hustle to find this natural food.

Do a forum search on "rats chickens" and you will find most of the old wives tales exposed and read of long epic battles against the rodents. Sanitation, exclusion, or elimination all have associated costs but you are already paying for the feed and will recover the initial costs quickly with the first method.

As for the rats turning on the roosting chickens, it can happen, but you can collapse a colony in just a few days and they will turn on each other before they go after the roosting birds. Eliminate the feed stealing with a good treadle feeder, put out some fresh poison bait if you just have to a day later, but if you just control the feed you control the rats. They will kill their babies first, then each other, then they will leave or be forced to forage for natural food and the predators will finish them off.

Good luck and remember, it isn't just the stolen feed, disease and predators come with rodents.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Thanks so much for all input. I have passed this info on.

I consider myself extremely fortunate, I have no rodent issues, but will remain diligent with cleanliness & common sense, when it comes to rodents, predators & scenarios that could create vulnerability or potential hazards that could jeopardize or endanger my own flock.

My own set up has evolved as time went on, realizing I relocated to a migratory flyway for birds of prey, I had to build predator proof pens & coops. I also dug down a few feet in case foxes & coyotes tried to dig their way in. Foxes have lived in the surrounding farm fields long before I ever moved here. I always observed nature, learned the habits of local wildlife & did my best to achieve a "live harmonious" life, since childhood. It's their home, too, & they have a right to live. They are who they are, hawks must hunt to eat & live, can't hate them for who they are, that is nature & there is a balance. It's not my job to hate predators, it is my job to provide a healthy & safe habitat for the animals in my care. Knowing rodents are opportunists, I make sure there is no food they can get to. Feed is stored properly in tins inside the coop hallway & pens are build with hardware cloth wire, so openings are too small for mice.

The fox family patrols my yard & I've seen them hunt & catch many mice, moles & voles. They've never even dug holes to try & get to my flock. I'm actually grateful for the foxes, hawks, owls & snakes that patrol my property & nearby farm fields. I'd rather have them here than the darn rodents. No one can get access to my flock. If I lived in an area with bears or bobcats, I might be singing a different tune...yeah, I'd have adapt my "predator proof" methods for sure.

Anyway, thank you for all suggestions. My friends have a serious infestation of rats & I appreciate any & all advice from you.