I might have solved my rat issue with......

[chickensioux]

pure peppermint oil. I read online that rats hate it. I went to GNC purchased a small bottle for 5-6 dollars. Put it on cottonballs and placed them down into the rat's holes. That was 2 weeks ago and I have not seen ANY indication that they are coming around. I was seeing little feet prints in the mud, poo, etc. now nothing. I would also occasionally cover their holes and they immediately would dig them out again.......nothing! Hopefully that did it and safely for my ducks.

 

[onthespot]

I wonder if that works on mice! There are a jillion where I am keeping my chickens right now, and I really resent feeding them, and seeing them run around in broad daylight, right underfoot. It is a plague there but the place owner doesn't want me to put down poison. I am afraid to poison because there are so many mice, if they died, my birds would eat them and all die too I think. I just keep buying a LOAD of feed, and am looking for a new place to keep my birds.

 

[chickensioux]

Quote:
It's worth a try. It was a cheap fix for me.

 

[CompostQueen]

WOW!!!!! Awesome solution!

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
It reportedly does work on mice. Birds can be sensitive to certain scents, even ones we find appealing, so until/unless confirmed to be okay for chickens, I would just put the peppermint oil cotton balls a distance from where the birds hunker down for the night, such that you don't smell it in that area.
JJ