Holy cow! Rats!!

[kristenm1975]

I knew we had a rat infestation but I had NO idea how big it was until we got some snow this weekend. Up til now, I only saw them scurrying around after dark. The snow must have forced them to come out in the daytime to scavenge for food and scraps. I stood there and watched dozens of the buggers running back and forth from seemingly endless tunnels and holes around the edge of our patio and the coop.

After watching for a bit to establish in my mind where those holes are, I got out there with the garden hose in the snow and filled up all the spots I could find. I had the satisfaction only once of seeing a bunch of them running for higher ground when the hose came in.

I spent an icy-cold hour out there filling all the holes I could find, went back inside and watched to see what would happen. Within 10 minutes, out of the SAME holes, out the rats came again!! A couple went scooting out between the legs of a surprised hen. I would have thought she'd attack, but she just looked startled and didn't do anything. I was appalled and amazed. How on earth could they survive such a dousing?! Those holes must go down to China if they could elude that much water rushing in! I went back out and did it all over again, and the same thing happened. At that point, it was getting dark and I gave up on it.

Anyone else having this kind of rat trouble?

 

[Mrs.Puff]

Lots of people are having rat trouble right now. Get yourself some rat traps. I recommend Kness Brand rat traps made in Albia Iowa. Bait em with meat. Rats are nasty. Get rid of them.

 

[spook]

You know, where your birds are contained, I'd watch to see where the holes are for them at the building, and spread Decon Rat poison. No kidding, they can and will contaminate your food, chicken food and will bite and harm a hen. Its how a lot of illness' are spread.
Please put out something, or traps. It seems cruel, but they can reproduce 6 (?) babies every 18 days or so, then those babies and those babies....until you have them in your walls, ugh.
I do not hate rats, but they can create dangers as well as squirrels. For some reason these critters love to eat the plastic from around your electrical cords...and we know what that can mean.
Dont mean to scare, but its unfortunately a matter of getting rid of them, or get a pig, they eat those and snakes.
Good luck!

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

Thankfully I've never seen a rat on my property. I think I'd yak.
I have mice though. But I have three little mouse killing machines in my house.

 

[amazondoc]

Please do NOT put out any poison anywhere close to other animals, including your hens!

If a poisoned rat staggers into your chicken pen, your hens are likely to eat it. And if they eat it, THEY will get poisoned as well.

Stick with mechanical traps. Poisons kill more than just rats!

 

[onthespot]

could a cat survive in a chicken run with big, adult chickens? Would any of them kill the other?

 

[onthespot]

Also, not rat related, but I was thinking of putting silkie chickens in my lovebird flights for seed cleanup duty. Anyone see an obvous flaw with that plan?

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
IMHO it will depend in large part on the size of the flights. The lovebirds will be more aggressive than the silkies, and may pick on them in tight quarters -- but will be more likely to leave them alone in a large area.

I have never personally known a silky, but on the face of it I'd probably go with quail instead -- better eyesight, better escape capabilities. Just a thought!

 

[Teach97]

Have seen lots of cats along with chickens...have also see cats stalk and kill a chicken (big cat small chicken)

I would go with quail for clean-up duty...look at the button quail...they are way cute...coturnix also can work and have the benefit of fast growth good eating and egg production out the yahoo

 

[amazondoc]

I've got button quail with my budgies, but IMHO you'd be better off with the "regular" quail for the lovebirds. My budgies occasionally pick on my buttons, and I think lovebirds would be worse.