Rat Control

[cherylgladys]

Hi everyone - I have had my 3 hens since early spring here in Sacramento and have grown to love them very much. Since winter set in, I am finding rat mounds inside the coop area. It is stressing me out. I have set some traps previously and caught a few, but now the rats are getting smart and not able to be trapped. Each morning I find a new hole. I talked to a pest guy today and he said to make sure you put feed on the trap because that is their main source of food now. So, I will do that tonight. I never knew rats would come up from under the ground and make big mounds, but that is what they are doing. Tonight I am going to hide the food. (I keep the coop very clean) There are some areas of the coop that I have wire so rats can't get in, but not under the interior coop on the ground, if that makes sense. It''s going to be hard to do that now because of space. I would have to take it apart! Any ideas or tips would help. Enclosng 3 pics of the coop area. These were taken last summer. TIA

 

[MysteryChicken]

My brother recently bought Rat poison that kills rats, & mice, but is safe around livestock. I just don't remember what it was called, nor if the box is still around.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I'll come back once I figure out what it was.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's called Rat X, & it's available at Walmart in prefilled containers, & Amazon in a bag to refill the containers.

My brother helped me out.

 

[KingD]

Use a bait box

 

[cherylgladys]

It's called Rat X, & it's available at Walmart in prefilled containers, & Amazon in a bag to refill the containers.

My brother helped me out.

thanks for getting back to me on this....!

 

[MysteryChicken]

thanks for getting back to me on this....!

You're welcome.

 

[cmom]

I use the rat bait stations after trying many other thing first. You can put the bait stations in a pet carrier so nothing but the rats can get to it. There is a little window above the bait so it can be checked daily. I had an infested coop and when I started renovating it dozens of rats of all sizes poured out. I had noticed tunnels around my coops. I did not find any dead rats laying around. I'm pretty sure they went into their tunnels and died. Good luck...

 

[cmom]

The bait stations originally came with some different bait but the rats didn't seem to like it so I bought some different bait from the feed store down the road that they used. The rats loved it. The baits have been hardly touched in quite awhile. Again, good luck...

 

[cherylgladys]

I use the rat bait stations after trying many other thing first. You can put the bait stations in a pet carrier so nothing but the rats can get to it. There is a little window above the bait so it can be checked daily. I had an infested coop and when I started renovating it dozens of rats of all sizes poured out. I had noticed tunnels around my coops. I did not find any dead rats laying around. I'm pretty sure they went into their tunnels and died. Good luck...

Thanks so much for your information! I am a little confused when you say... when you started renovating dozens of rats poured out? They were running around your coop area? I see that they are creating tunnels and mounds and holes in my coop area, so there are quite a few I imagine. A rodent control guy I talked to yesterday told me to use the chickenfeed as a bait because that is their main source of feed now...? I put out two sticky pads with feed on them last night, but no luck.... I am going to order those things you told me about today. Also, what kind of feeder do you use for your chicks ( I have three) and do you put it away at night, etc. Really appreciate your tips as I am new at this, and it's stressing me out. Thanks!