Hi there

[HoneyBeccaBee]

I plan on getting back to raising chickens and ducks on my one acre wooded property, starting next year. I gave up on them previously since they became overran with every type of mouse and rat imaginable. I mis the slug control, eggs and having them as pet and I think my cattle dog "Scott" does too. If anyone one has good advice on natural pest control for mice and rats I would greatly appreciate it. Also, the ducks were attacked twice by weasels while in their coop.

 

[Callender Girl]

Welcome to BYC; hope you get your chickens and ducks next spring. Congrats on making plans to keep them safe before they arrive.

My chickens tend to dispose of mice on their own; they may be better mousers than my cats. However, rats are another story, obviously.

If you are starting over and don't have a rat problem, then I'd concentrate on prevention. I had two coops that had dirt floors; I installed hardware cloth on those. I made sure there was no spilled. leftover feed to attract them and still keep all my feed in metal garbage cans. When I feed ducks in the morning, their food dish is now well away from their shelter. Chickens eat inside their coops.

I tried filling in the rat tunnels and plugging them with essential oil-soaked cotton. Didn't work. I eventually had to resort to kill traps, both manual and electronic. I hated doing it, but I had to keep them away from the coops.

Minks, those nasty weasel cousins, need to be kept out of coops with hardware cloth. A space as small as 1-inch will allow them in; I learned the hard way.

Best wishes for a successful flock restart; let us know when you get your birds.

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.
1/2" hardware cloth to secure the coop and make sure there are no gaps anywhere greater than 1/2" when closed up for the night.
Bring food in at night and keep the feed area clean.
If you keep them confined to a run, again, use 1/2" HC to secure it and provide a minimum of 15 sq ft per chicken and closer to 20 per duck with a good thick, dry, organic substrate for the run litter.

 

[janiedoe]

Welcome to BYC. Both @Callender Girl and @DobieLover have given great advice.

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens. The Best of Luck with your Plans. And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska!

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, welcome to BYC! I did see a video on YouTube, a man used baking soda mixed with corn muffin mix and put it in tubs around his barn. He says the rats eat it and can't pass the gas formed when the baking soda hit the stomach acid. I can't validate any of this, I haven't tried it, but it might be worth looking into.

 

[Blue Raptor]

I plan on getting back to raising chickens and ducks on my one acre wooded property, starting next year. I gave up on them previously since they became overran with every type of mouse and rat imaginable. I mis the slug control, eggs and having them as pet and I think my cattle dog "Scott" does too. If anyone one has good advice on natural pest control for mice and rats I would greatly appreciate it. Also, the ducks were attacked twice by weasels while in their coop.

Welcome to BYC!!

 

[Dr Evy]

Welcome to BYC. We’re so glad you joined!

 

[Grammy60]

Hello and welcome to BYC So happy you have joined us.
Best of luck with restarting your poultry adventure.

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

Welcome to BYC! So glad you could join us! Maybe having a cat around that won't bother the chickens could help keep your rat/mice population down.