Rat infestation HELP!

[Ducclelover10]

We don't know what to do. Every night rats come and eat the spilled chicken feed in their run and poop all over it! We don't want the chickens to get diseases from rat poop, so we need to find some way to keep the rats out of there without having to clean up the feed every night. Any ideas???

 

[brezlynsmom]

Start setting rat traps to start with. Block where they are coming in

 

[Ducclelover10]

Start setting rat traps to start with. Block where they are coming in

We tried blocking where they come in but they just make more and more holes.

We'll try to maybe get some rat traps.

 

[blucoondawg]

Some use a water bucket trap for rats and mice, they have them on youtube, its a 5 gallon bucket a little less than half full of water, some put a rod through it near the top with a soda bottle on it so the rat steps on it and it spins and they fall in the water or some have said to sprinkle some feed on the water and cover the bucket with chicken wire, the rats will go through the wire and fall in the water, they can't escape. Just prop a stick or something up on the bucket so the rats can climb up to the top of the bucket. It is supposed to be quite effective. Just try and make sure there isn't a bunch of spilled feed for them to eat instead of going in the trap.

 

[bj taylor]

cats or rat snakes. of course you would have to make sure the snake couldn't get in the coop. i know that one is a long shot - but it does sound like you need a predator that won't prey on your chickens.

 

[aart]

This is a great mouse trap, just made one last week....it just keeps on catching them!! Emptied 4 out of it today from the garage and moved it to another outbuilding. I used windshield washer fluid to keep water form freezing...or you could use RV antifreeze as it's not toxic.
Might need a bigger version than the 5 gallon for a rat, maybe a 30 gal garbage can?