Rat infestation

[BelovedBirds]

Personally I dislike the baking soda method, as it causes their intestines to rupture. Its a very painful nasty death.
If using a kill method, there are less cruel methods

 

[SamLockwood]

I had a particularly nasty rat problem four years ago: if they had no feed to go for, they started by stealing eggs and then graduated to killing chickens. As much as I hated to do it, poison was the only way to get rid of them. The cat wasn't interested and they were too small, quick, and wily to shoot.

Weird part was they were some bushy-tailed species not native to Georgia. Some idiot's exotic pets that got loose, no doubt.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Personally I dislike the baking soda method, as it causes their intestines to rupture. Its a very painful nasty death.
If using a kill method, there are less cruel methods

Do you use poison? When you have rats coming around during the day It's a given there are too many to deal with. I hate killing anything that's living but I sure don't want rats eating my bird's feed and going into their coops Looking for eggs or a small bantam chickens or ducklings.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Do you use poison? When you have rats coming around during the day It's a given there are too many to deal with. I hate killing anything that's living but I sure don't want rats eating my bird's feed and going into their coops Looking for eggs or a small bantam chickens or ducklings.

I get that, if I had small birds/babies, I wouldn't be as patient with the problem for fear of losing my birds. But thus far they express zero interest in the ducks, and mainly the issue is mice. So Id exhaust other options first before using lethal force.
Especially when it comes to coop security. Unfortunately its not easy to dissuade them if they can get in, they will, as the neighbours leave bread out for birds and attract them close to our yard.

I dont use poison, never have, and hopefully never will.
My main problem at the moment is mice, but there are a couple rats around. They will go in the live trap, easy, confidently. But somehow they keep triggering it and leaving it empty. I'm seriously considering a widlife cam to see what's going on at this point

 

[Chicken poppy]

I don’t know why it’s been so bad this year, but we have a horrendous rat infestation in the duck and chicken runs. We have movable runs that have kept rats to a minimum in the past, but now within 2 days of moving there are always heaps of them.

I was thinking of putting some mesh wire on the bottom of the runs to keep them from getting in, but I’m not sure whether that will be hard on their feet? (They’re in the runs 24/7).

I don’t want to use poison due to the threat to other wildlife, or traps because of disposal. If anyone has a potential solution please let me know! Thank you so much!

Rats can harm chickens as I’ve heard though i haven’t had a infestation myself, i did have a horrible squrriel outbreak (i mean they were EVERYWHERE. and there were baby chicks and lots of eggs, so they could have easily hurt the chicks, as they had tried a few times.)

Heres how i stopped that problem.

1. I patched every hole i saw. Squrriels, and i would assume rats are similar, can get in anywhere, their vicious when they see food, they ripped through the window mesh (two layers of it!) to get to the food.

2. I picked up ALL the food. And i mean all of it. If they see a few seeds or crumbles on the ground it won’t go unnoticed! Not to mention it might mold.

3. I put catch and release traps up. Now, i did this because i had baby chicks at the time, and any other trap was not really an option, as they could hurt themself. Even if you use a catch and release for whatever reason, it doesn’t mean you have to release them. You can always kill them after, but i chose this method because i found it was the safest around my chickens. It also was very effective and after a few waves of squirrels coming and going, they all just vanished.

When you are deciding on a trap, don’t do one just for the rats, picture your chickens coming in contact with one, would they hurt themself? Ask yourself that. Don’t do a sticky trap (i think their inhumane) but even besides that your chicken could get stuck on one and that wouldn’t be fun.
Hope some of this could help your problem!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’ve been keeping my coops closed up during the day so none get inside. I have to do this in warm months because of snakes too. Too bad snakes aren’t out in winter they could feast. Lol
Another reason I stopped using poison just recently a mouse came out during the day my hen snatched it up and ate it.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I’ve been keeping my coops closed up during the day so none get inside. I have to do this in warm months because of snakes too. Too bad snakes aren’t out in winter they could feast. Lol
Another reason I stopped using poison just recently a mouse came out during the day my hen snatched it up and ate it.

They sure are little dinosaurs! My ducks just watch the mice when they appear, no care.

true about the snakes- my neighbours cat has been in my yard watching out for any rodents lately, she doesnt care for or bother the ducks, but cant get to them anyways. Im a little bit grateful for her chasing the rodents away!

 

[Aunt Angus]

They sure are little dinosaurs! My ducks just watch the mice when they appear, no care.

true about the snakes- my neighbours cat has been in my yard watching out for any rodents lately, she doesnt care for or bother the ducks, but cant get to them anyways. Im a little bit grateful for her chasing the rodents away!

My farm cat is the best. He chases rats and foxes, too!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I may have to go to the shelter for a cat to work on these vermin

 

[DukesDucks]

There are rat/mice poisons that will kill them but are safe if the dead one is later by a cat or dog. Regulations vary greatly from place to place so you need to check your areas rules about purchasing/using anything not available in your local stores.