Rat Control

[alwaystj9]

Rats are a real challenge. After trying every other method I resorted to poison in bait boxes. I also had to make rounds on all the water sources -- the poisoned rats head to water if they can. I scraped up several dead rats from the ground around water buckets. It took multiple bait box refills but got the problem under control. Unfortunately, come spring and neighbors bushhogging fields, I'll be baiting again.

 

[cmom]

Thank you so much. Your comments are so helpful. I have a pest control coming out now and he assured me that only rats and mice can get in the traps. This was a week ago he set them out, liquid and bait, and he checked yesterday and no signs of them eating the bait yet. But this morning, I found another mound INSIDE the coop where the chicks (3) sleep and its freaking me out. As I mentioned before, the coop is a prefab and moving it in the space I have is going to be very challenging as it could basically fall apart. It's not an ideal situation. A friend is going to help me with the problem tomorrow and maybe we can put some 1/4 inch wire on the bottom. Right now, the rat is smarter than me. Praying for wisdom for sure.

Rats can be picky about the bait. The first bait I used that came with the bait boxes, the rats wouldn't touch. I bought some different bait that the feed store down the road used and the rats loved it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control.1441351/post-23905515

 

[cherylgladys]

Rats can be picky about the bait. The first bait I used that came with the bait boxes, the rats wouldn't touch. I bought some different bait that the feed store down the road used and the rats loved it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control.1441351/post-23905515

The pest guys did say that rats might shy away at first. They put out the liquid and the bait blocks. I guess I have to trust them as they do this alot. I will keep you all posted. The rats are tunneling under the coop now, so a friend is coming over tomorrow to lay wire under the coop, if possible. I never knew chickens would cause so many problems, but I love them!

 

[cherylgladys]

Rats are a real challenge. After trying every other method I resorted to poison in bait boxes. I also had to make rounds on all the water sources -- the poisoned rats head to water if they can. I scraped up several dead rats from the ground around water buckets. It took multiple bait box refills but got the problem under control. Unfortunately, come spring and neighbors bushhogging fields, I'll be baiting again.

Wow, that's interesting they go to water sources! This will be a question when I see God...."why did you create rats?" I just bought a treadle feeder and most of the reviews say they got rid of the rats and birds and rodents after installing it.

 

[cmom]

This is where rats chewed through a stud in the coop that was infested before I took the walls out.

 

[cherylgladys]

It looks like you have that wire installed on the side there. So, that wire didn't help? My friend and I just laid the wire under the coop today and along the fence. Hoping this will solve the problem....and I just ordered a treadle feeder. I am going to beat this if it kills me! I will attach a couple holes I found a couple days ago....

 

[fluffyball]

If you put the bait boxes in a pet carrier nothing but the rats can get to it. You could put a lock on the pet carrier so even a child or a pet can't get to it. I have had no issues and the rats didn't get any of the bait out of the bait station. I'll take a picture when I go down to our barn.
There is a patrician down the middle inside of the bait box that the rats have to go around to get to the bait. I drew a red line to show how the rat would have to go to get to the bait.
View attachment 2506118
Here is another similar bait box. You can see the patrician the rats have to go around. There is nothing that can get to the bait except pests rats and mice.
View attachment 2506125
Put it into a pet carrier as an added protection.

Also you don't have to put the bait stations near your birds or other pets. I have mine up on a big shelf that the pet carrier sits on. Rats are good climbers and will find the bait boxes but at the same time nothing else can get to them. The rats will travel from one building to another.

Thanks for your instructions, cmom!

I haven't thought it could be so easy to protect these boxes. I tried to use humane traps placing them near the coop since, well, rats are walking around. But after several attempts I gave up. These creatures were too sneaky to catch and my pets way too interested in baits.

Your comment is very encouraging, so I will try again.

 

[Byrd gal]

I am afraid to use poison. If the chickens got to a poisoned mouse looking for water and ate it , wouldn't the chicken die too?

 

[Byrd gal]

Ace is a bad girl she has killed a mouse and a gardener snake. She will eat it if given a chance a real glut.LOL

 

[cmom]

I had some tunnels around my coops that I'm assuming the rats made. When I put the poison out in the bait boxes and the bait boxes in pet carrier/cages up on a shelf in our barn which is behind the coops, I could tell the baits were being chewed on but I didn't find any dead rodents laying around so I suspect they went into their tunnels and died. The bait doesn't have to be near the birds. Rats and mice will travel some distances so the baits could be in another location on your property. The rats will still find them. Good luck...