I got rid of the mice.now i think i have rats!

[bucky52]

So i used one of those victor traps(the ones that zaps them)have not seen mice for several weeks.than on Sunday i came around the coop and caught a glimpse of a rat.i am seeing holes in different places around the coops and runs.we have been setting snaps traps in the runs at night after we close the girls up.we have had no luck there.so DH went and bought rat poison.to put under the coops.I'm not a fan at using poison.he insist if we don't do something soon we will be over run with them.we have placed cinder blocks and rocks around the base of the coop.so the chickens are not in any danger of eating any.I know that they will eat mouse but will they eat rats?

 

[WildBilly]

I don't know, I would send a cat around the coop and close the chickens in and hope the cat would eat the rats other wise set up more traps and a variety of them traps for rats.

 

[bucky52]

Their are lots of cats around.with a trailer court just down the road.when people move out they leave their pets behind..With all the cats around you would think we would not have mice and rats.

 

[Michael Apple]

Unfortunately the only way to control the population is with poison. Use Rampage bait chunks in secure box traps. Motomco makes it.They have to enter the box to feed and can't spread the poison outside. There isn't a secondary kill factor with the Rampage bait, so it is safer than some other baits out there.

 

[Pinky]

I agree with the above poster, it is the quickest way to get them. My dad had a small problem with them in his tool shed until he used the box traps.

 

[missnu01]

They make these big expensive traps that shock the rats when they step on the plates inside, and then the dead rats and mice fall into a collection area...The problem is that rodents get wise to traps after a little bit...We always switch them up every once in awhile. We use glue traps until we stop catching mice in them, and then we use snap traps, and when those stop, then back to the glue, so on and so forth. The rodents get wise to seeing the same trap and they start avoiding the traps...So if you put poison in a container that nothing else can get to, and also have some glue and snap traps, and just keep changing them...put the poison for a week or so, and then the glue, and then the snap in rotation they won't get a handle on it before too many of them are dead...

 

[CherokeeFlats]

I totally understand the rat problem. We had to bring in our Call Ducks because the rats have destroyed their coop and were eating their food so fast we couldnt keep up. We are looking into getting some of that Rampage Bait (Can you get it at TSC or Farm & Fleet??)

 

[bucky52]

thanks.will look for the rampage.