Rat Issue!!!

[Annalyse]

We’ve had this rat (possibly more but we’ve only been seeing and having an issue with the one) but it is making so many tunnels in the run. The coop is raised so it can’t dig in. We’ve tried so many traps and poison and he’s too smart for it. It isn’t bugging the chickens but every morning I have to take all the tunnels and fix the dirt bc it throws it everywhere. I don’t really want to get an exterminator because the neighbors might get upset that there’s a rat and try and comment on it. What should I do?

 

[Krugerrand]

I suspect you have much more than one rat.

 

[Annalyse]

I suspect you have much more than one rat.

How do I get rid of them?

 

[Krugerrand]

How do I get rid of them?

I'm afraid I have no experience with them. Is your food in the run or the coop? Is it put away at night? These are questions that people who know better than I will be asking.

 

[Annalyse]

I'm afraid I have no experience with them. Is your food in the run or the coop? Is it put away at night? These are questions that people who know better than I will be asking.

Food is out in the run during the day and then at night it’s put into the coop.

 

[theoldchick]

https://the-chicken-chick.com/15-tips-to-control-rodents-around/

 

[AnnPann]

How do I get rid of them?

Get a cat. My 2 barn cats have made a huge dent in the rodent population here in just 6 months.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're using traps and bait, rats are quite suspicious so they'll avoid them for a long time. I have a trap (unbaited) permanently left in place in front of my coop door where we've had a couple rats try to burrow under. Because the trap doesn't get handled or moved I've found that any wandering rats will eventually just walk into it, though it takes a while.

 

[dawg53]

Hang ammonia soaked rags from a 5 gallon bucket on the chicken wire just above ground level going around the pen after dark. Wear disposable gloves and mask. Do this for 3 nights. Bye bye rat(s).
Avoid putting the soaked rags near coop vents, simply space the soaked rags out about 6-7ft.

 

[Annalyse]

Hang ammonia soaked rags from a 5 gallon bucket on the chicken wire just above ground level going around the pen after dark. Wear disposable gloves and mask. Do this for 3 nights. Bye bye rat(s).
Avoid putting the soaked rags near coop vents, simply space the soaked rags out about 6-7ft.

The places to hang them have vents . I will definitely figure something out though. Right now were just going to dig out the run apply boards to the baseline of fence and more chicken wire that way it can’t dig it in the meantime.