How to catch a rat in a chicken house??

[PhlyinPheBee]

I have caught 2 mice under my chicken house....but i cannot catch the rat. It seems to be way to smart for the glue traps. Anyone have any ideas???

 

[omelet du fromage]

After the birds are safely in the coop for the night, set a baited rat trap. Of course, make sure it is not set when you let them out in the morning.

 

[cobrien]

I had 2 rats under my chicken coop. The first I caught with a spring loaded traps. If you are open to considering them, I highly recommend them because I believe they are much more humane than glue traps. They suffer a horrible death on the glue traps and they can even chew their legs off to escape

. The second rat eluded me for weeks. I enlisted the help of my dogs and caught them with a few tries. My little dacshund cross would pick up its scent under the coop, we let him run under it (in the evening) and he flushed it out, and my blue heeler cross caught and killed it.

I don't recommend poison as they also suffer a horrible death with poison, and other animals may ingest the poison or the poisoned rat and also die a horrible death (they bleed internally

.

For baiting the trap, I use peanut butter as a glue, with some tasty bits stuck on top - makes it harder for them to steal it.

Good luck getting the rat!

 

[ChixPix]

a good tip for catching mice (and I assume it works for rats too) is to take a piece of the fat from bacon, and wrap it around the bait spot. Bacon is so stretchy and hard to get off that it causes the trap to snap easier.

Worked great on 2 sneaky mice I couldn't catch this winter!

 

[PhlyinPheBee]

thank for the tips...first night 0/2. I got the rat traps and boy are they hard to set. I will try different bait and placements tonight. The chickens did not like being locked up even though I got up at 6 am to let them out!

 

[silkydragon]

i dont have a rat/mouse problem in my coop my hens eat them(even though i have a 3gallon feeder always full) the hens can kill a mouse on there own but the roos have to kill the rats then every1 joins in

 

[patandchickens]

If you know someone with a Jack Russell or other rat-type terrier, that would frankly be the simplest solution

I have never caught a rat in a snap trap and I'm not sure I've ever *known* anyone who has, either, although I'm sure it happens occasionally. Live traps either.

If you are not 100% averse to poison, one option is to set out a dab of peanutbutter where the rat will find it, for a night or two, then on the next night combine the peanutbutter with as much dry plaster-of-paris powder as it will hold to make a dough that you can roll into a marble-sized ball. Leave a couple of them out, and unless it is a rat from very wise-to-the-ways-of-the-world lines, it'll probably take care of your problem. Having plaster heating and hardening in your tummy is doubtless not a terribly pleasant way to die, but sometimes you just cannot let rats take over the world, you know?

I've had rats *inside* my chicken bldg a couple times, and caught them by flushing them out from their hiding places and then standing on them and severing the spinal cord with a knife, but that is unlikely to be workable outdoors.

Really, a rat terrier would be happy to take care of it for you.

Good luck, have 'fun',

Pat

 

[Dixiedoodle]

My Dachshunds usually take care of any mice or rats anywhere they can get to.. They love the challange!! Will work for hours and hours...to catch one tiny little mouse...

Have you heard of the bucket method?? You use a tall trash can or bucket with straight sides. Put 6" of water in the can and drop a hand full of feed/dog food/ something that floats into the water. Cover w/ a heavy board leaving just a small opening on the side of the can (an entrance hole).. lean a 2x4 from the ground to the top of the can (a gang plank)..

I found this out by not replacing the trash can lid correctly and it rains.. It has happened several times so now I use it when I am trying to catch a sly one.. I agree, I would NEVER use a glue trap.. They will chew legs/feet of to excape and you might catch a bird... Nasty, nasty.. Good luck

 

[Keara]

Glue traps are good, as long as they out of reach of the chickens.

 

[cobrien]

Quote:
Agree on the dog, but not the snap trap. I have caught at least 4 rats this way over the last ~6 years, which represents the majority of rats that I've seen around...dogs got the rest. Must depend on the rat and rat population, I guess (?). I maintain that glue traps are cruel, but to each his own.