How do you get rid of rats? Do they kill chickens or just the babies?

[gman mo]

Saw 4 rats getting in chickens food. I used Ortho Rat traps. Works like the old wooden wooden ones but easier to set and bait. Peanut butter and pepperoni worked great. Got all 4 in two nights. Used D con also. Something ate it all up first night. Not my favorite but effective. Just have to make sure pets and chickens dont get into it. Tom cat traps work good too.
Just keep after them and you will get em.

 

[Cole D]

I would use Jersygiantfolk's idea. You can also use hotsauce.

 

[hshsmomx2]

check out this link http://www.jefferspet.com/rodent-cafe-locking-bait-station/camid/LIV/cp/BNG-AA/

it works for us

 

[KRANKOR]

I have also used "ONE BITE" with excellent results (available in most hardware stores). I cut a 1 foot length of 2" diameter PVC pipe and put the ONE BITE piece, about 1" long inside the pipe and just lay the pipe on the ground. Chickens can't get into it but rats can--and do. Usually the rat will eat some and take the rest back to his family nest killing them all. Set the pipes high enough on the ground to prevent rain getting in.

 

[junglechicken25]

get one of these, he sleeps with the chickens and has killed rats opossums raccoons and my other dog killed a fox all after my chickens

 

[laura877]

This thread was 2 hrs old but I like the idea of the pipe. I use a feeder station Luke Jeffers. I have also caught the in live traps. I then put it on the deck and let my yorkies have a good time smelling and barking. Our first yorkie is big and she has almost got a rat.

 

[daisymaemoses]

I have rats that showed up from my cousins next door (they have horses)...never had any rats in 14yrs till about 2yrs ago...they never did any damage to my birds or food bins or bags so I just figured live and let live...well this spring young rats started attacking my ducklings and some chicks which were about 2 months old and tried dragging them into a hole under their waterers...they were consuming them alive!!! Needless to say I was ****** at that point so they had to die...since I have 6 dogs and almost 10cats sone feral and some tame I was afraid to use poison incase of secondary poisoning in which they wpuld need to be treated with Vitamin K should it be a warfarin type product...I then spent $50 on an electronic rodent repellent thing (2 @ $50 each) which are such an f***ing joke...just cost me more money to pay LIPA...then I got the lock boxes which lock in the rodent poison blocks and I got the big bugger...yep, epic fail as well...so I went old school...got my son out there with a pitchfork and brought out my 2 jrts and 1 of my chessies and started filling the holes with water...SUCCESS!!! 1 jrt 1 chessie and my son wacked and ate a couple of adults and a ton of babies...needless to say my jrt though gets to excited and if she can manage to get into my baby pen she thinks that the 2 month old baby chicks are feathered rats and well its not good...that so far has been my method...again my last method is done at early evening wirh a headlamp on but its been the most effective method...I generally have to do this once a month and I learned about rats...we are just a satellite hub for them with my cousins being the main colony...as far as cats yes some cats are good but most arent...my one killer kitten has taken a few rats and killed them, befriended others and even killed a few 3month old chicks which were bigger than her...be well and if anyone can find anything else please post have a great holiday

Katherine

 

[litl red hen]

I have read that peppermint plants planted around can run critters away. Has anyone else tried this? Could the plan be harmful to the chickens?

 

[Mattemma]

Snap traps and glue traps.

 

[laughingdog]

Mint and strawberry patches attract all food species of food animal (including rodents), which makes perfect nest for copperheads that will wipe out colony quick, though then you have to toss out baby copperheads in spring. when young hatch kingsnakes seem yo move in quick and get rid of all else quick. my game hens love eating snakes and rodents so keep them around for and as best broodies ever. you have to put out small light like thirty to forty watts, as then when put in coop your game hens can hunt bugs (also love spiders especially), rodents and snakes, and a few cockerels kept can kill or chase off or corner and kill large cats coons oppossums and dogs (had rescued old fighting cock kill two boar oppossums, one of two med dogs that i saved second but was already blinded, and i forget how many large oppossums, cats, and hawks, though tamed down so sweet aside that neighbor childrn petted, hugged, and hand fed treats to).