Is it too late to try and rat proof this coop?

[Folly's place]

So sorry, but that's what they can do. Also easily climb wood walls and get birds off roosts, it happened here.
Keep your birds in a safer place until this is solved!!!
Mary

 

[Debbie292d]

I put away the chicken feed last night and only left out the corn muffin and baking soda mix. The rats did not like it. They killed two more of my chicks one was dragged out of the coop and eaten and another one was just killed, I think just to spite me. They were roosting on the lower part. I have the remaining two younger chicks on the higher roost with the adult chickens. Hopefully the rats can't get up there's. It's about five feet high. I'm going to have to take care of this rat problem this weekend.

So sorry. I guess this means war. I would find another place to put your chicks and try this again. They preferred fresh meat to the "food," and with no fresh meat, they have no choice. They will eat it.

 

[samanthaoverton]

It looks light enough that you could empty it out, tip it over, then run your hardware cloth all over the bottom and up the sides. Steel wool can fill holes.

Try killing them. Mix equal parts of corn meal and baking soda. Jiff cornmeal mix is cheap and works well as it's got a little sugar and salt they like in it. My farmer neighbor di this and put it in a small bucket with a lid and hole in it a rat could fit through. That way the chickens couldn't get to it. If a rat eats it, they run off to die as they can't fart or burp the gases this makes. She had dozens laying all over the place.

It's safe for a chicken if they'd come upon a body.

Do rodents have to eat much of this mix..I was wonderin if it could be used indoors..I wonder if it could be mixed with peanut butter and put on a trap..

 

[Debbie292d]

Do rodents have to eat much of this mix..I was wonderin if it could be used indoors..I wonder if it could be mixed with peanut butter and put on a trap..

I don't know how much they eat, but any amount is going to start the gas buildup inside them that they can't expel. I don't see why you couldn't mix it with peanut butter and use it that way.

If you have any pets, whilst this isn't poison to them, I'd keep it out of their reach as otherwise they'd be farting up a storm!

 

[samanthaoverton]

I don't know how much they eat, but any amount is going to start the gas buildup inside them that they can't expel. I don't see why you couldn't mix it with peanut butter and use it that way.

If you have any pets, whilst this isn't poison to them, I'd keep it out of their reach as otherwise they'd be farting up a storm!

Hahaha. Your funny. Thank you for the quick response

 

[Penpal]

Rats hate peppermint.

Peppermint oil has been found to reduce the number of pathogens in a coop. Feeding peppermint to chickens also has positive outcomes.

Put a few drops of peppermint oil in a cup or so of water. Put into a spray bottle and shake vigorously. Immediately spray around the coop. Inside the coop, spray where the walls meet the floor. If you think that are getting in from above, spray up there also.

 

[citychicks99]

Easiest to add hardware cloth to the floor on the interior, and run it up the walls a couple of inches. then cover it with exterior grade plywood, not particle board, apply a sealer, and use pine shavings of something on to, about six inches deep, for good footing.
Rats will eat eggs and kill chickens, and carry diseases dangerous for you. Must be eliminated!!!
Also, where's the ventilation? And, one layer of particle board is not predator or rat proof...
Mary

So I would have to replace the flooring with the plywood then add the hardware cloth. What about the rat's nests under the coop? Should I try and dig them out?

I currently leave the door open during the day time and let them free range. Would they still be able to do that or do I have to build them an enclosed run now?

I thought I may have to dig under their coop and fill it with rocks but my brother said that would be too much work to undo it and redo it. I hope that part isn't necessary?

 

[GCrumb]

Do rodents have to eat much of this mix..I was wonderin if it could be used indoors..I wonder if it could be mixed with peanut butter and put on a trap..

Yes, really. The toxicity of various substances to rats is pretty well researched and you'd need to get a rat to eat a couple of grams of baking soda, about half a teaspoon, more or less in one go.

 

[citychicks99]

There's a product called RatX by Ecoclear. It's not a poison and isn't typically harmful to other animals if the rat is eaten after it dies. I still wouldn't let my chickens eat the RatX of course so it should not be anywhere they could get it. You need to take steps to keep the rats out and secure the coop a little better (some good advice on that in the other replies) but once you do that this should get rid of any rats lingering around.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed on how to proceed but I'm going to start with RatX today and see about sealing up the coop floor tomorrow since I need my brother's help. I'm going to mix the RatX in with the chicken feed and put it in the feeder they've been eating out of so they're familiar with it and trust it.

 

[citychicks99]

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed on how to proceed but I'm going to start with RatX today and see about sealing up the coop floor tomorrow since I need my brother's help. I'm going to mix the RatX in with the chicken feed and put it in the feeder they've been eating out of so they're familiar with it and trust it.

I tried mixing some RatX with chicken feed in their feeder and left it in its normal spot. The rats figured it out though and dug all the RatX out and only ate the chicken feed I am this close to hiring a professional exterminator.