Rat Issue!!!

[Annalyse]

There is only one reason why rats, mice, squirrels, or wild birds want to hang around a chicken coop and that is chicken feed. They can usually get water elsewhere, not always, desert flocks would draw rodents to the water. So the answer to eliminating rats in the coop is quite simple:


Stop feeding them.


I have taken to posting one of Howard E's posts on the rodent issue as he has the best info out there on this forum. Do a forum search for the guy's posts. But here is in my view his best post on the issue before, I think, he got tired of re posting the same advice to the twenty or thirty posts a month on the same rat issue. Really folks, do forum searches, taint' nuffin new most of the time.

But here is Howard's post and my usual interpretation of his advice:


"To the OP (and others like them), if you will spend the time, everything you need to know about rats and how to get ride of them will be found in the links below......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-the-video-series.1337456/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-101.1283827/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/#post-18610285

This last one is a review of a rat proof chicken feeder built and sold by a BYC member, who is a staunch advocate for the plan of getting rid of rats by starving them out. Remove all sources of feed and they will be forced to move on or starve to death. If you are firmly against the use of poison bait blocks......for whatever reason.......then this is one of the best actions you can take. Bulk food in metal trash cans.....chicken feed in metal rat proof feeders. Can't get to the feed and birds do not spill and waste feed that the rats can survive on."

End of Howard's post:

And the short version of Howard's post? Sanitation, exclusion, elimination.

Sanitation, bulk feed in metal cans or barrels with tight fitting lids, a treadle feeder, clean up the avenues of movement so the rodents have no cover to protect them from their natural predators. In my opinion and experience this is the quickest, surest, and cheapest way to solve a rodent problem.

Exclusion, plugging the holes and building a Fort Knox chicken coop and not leaving an opening for free range. Tough to do and expensive but it could work for rats.

Elimination, poison and traps. Problem is that rats are smart and will quickly learn to avoid both traps and poison bait. Were you to clean them out, the lack of sanitation would mean a new population of rodents would move right in. And there is risk and no end to the process, keeping fresh bait out. However, if you have done your sanitation using poison becomes effective as the rats are starving and will likely try the poison bait. Not needed though, they will leave in a few days as long as you are not feeding the rodents with a compost pile or other animal feed. Not all will leave, your area will have a natural carrying capacity for rodents, natural feed, but that natural ability to sustain rodents is quite small and the natural predators keep them in check and under cover as the rodents hustle to find this natural food.

Do a forum search on "rats chickens" and you will find most of the old wives tales exposed and read of long epic battles against the rodents. Sanitation, exclusion, or elimination all have associated costs but you are already paying for the feed and will recover the initial costs quickly with the first method.

Thank you. I have always brought the feed in at night so there’s no feeding the rats at night. We dug out the bottom of the run and by a 12” wood as far as we could all around and the rat has slowly stopped digging in. But he still has his tunnels everywhere but that is a problem for the spring time.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Bringing in the feed at night just teaches the rats to eat during the day. A suggestion, count your chickens, yeah, you aren't supposed to do that... : ) , and divide by 4. That is the pounds of feed you should be feeding each day, ignore roosters unless you have many, assuming full sized birds of course. Now put out twice that poundage of feed and weigh what is left at the end of the day when the biddies go to roost. If there is more than a quarter pound of feed per day per bird, you might be feeding those rats.

Rats don't live more than a few dozen yards from their regular food source and the natural rodent carrying capacity of most backyards is very low so if you see rats, they are eating something close by. If the rat stopped digging, he likely found another way in.

 

[Annalyse]

Bringing in the feed at night just teaches the rats to eat during the day. A suggestion, count your chickens, yeah, you aren't supposed to do that... : ) , and divide by 4. That is the pounds of feed you should be feeding each day, ignore roosters unless you have many, assuming full sized birds of course. Now put out twice that poundage of feed and weigh what is left at the end of the day when the biddies go to roost. If there is more than a quarter pound of feed per day per bird, you might be feeding those rats.

Rats don't live more than a few dozen yards from their regular food source and the natural rodent carrying capacity of most backyards is very low so if you see rats, they are eating something close by. If the rat stopped digging, he likely found another way in.

He doesn’t come out during the day. If he did the chickens would be freaking out. My rooster warns them if a leaf is falling.

 

[igorsMistress]

He doesn’t come out during the day. If he did the chickens would be freaking out. My rooster warns them if a leaf is falling.

He probably does, you just don’t see him and the chickens may not either. I was going to collect eggs and a rat came out from behind a nest box. There were three chickens in there who were just as freaked out as I was Good idea burying the wood though, I hope that keeps them out until Spring.

 

[Annalyse]

He probably does, you just don’t see him and the chickens may not either. I was going to collect eggs and a rat came out from behind a nest box. There were three chickens in there who were just as freaked out as I was Good idea burying the wood though, I hope that keeps them out until Spring.

Here’s my thing I honestly only see the one . There is no sign of a couple rats just the one. But yes there’s no disturbed dirt anywhere I doubt it stopped but it stopped him from getting in the time being

 

[rembrandt]

I too discovered tunnels everywhere this year.. I'm a newbie w 2022 my 2nd winter tending chickens and I only have 3 hens. I've seen the tunnels under/into my garage, outside chicken pen, garden beds and compost! Then I saw several rats in my garage (where my smaller, Fort Knox nighttime coop is located, but not penetrable by rats or mice - so far, gratefully!)
I keep food away, cleaned up daily, have all surplus in metal cans, don't spread feed in the out enclosure.

In my garage I started hearing squeaking along w/ rustling - in numerous areas simultaneously -at night.
I personally love and respect all animals and don't want to kill any living creature, but I've tried numerous live-trapping, repeaters traps/ratinator, etc., and trapped 14 rats (eeks.. 6 & 5 at once - def not for the faint of heart!!!) but all to no avail. Still heard and saw LOTS of activity at night.

And multiple sized rats captured together indicating multiple litters. Rats multiply VERY fast, reach sexual maturity at 5-6 weeks, females come into heat all year-round, every 4 to 5 days, (unless preggie) have large litters - average 10 to 12!

The rats are smart and started avoiding the live traps, (even when changing types) regardless of what tasty, smelly baits I used, and leaving them not set for days to increase rats not fearing apparatus, etc. I considered buying the Uhlik trap for $200 + along w/ expensive release chambers, but geez...

So when they started infesting my garage and everywhere else, jeopardizing my girls health & safety, (and likely mine, since my garage wreaks of rat excrement now) they've got to go! Plus THEY CAN MIGRATE into YOUR HOUSE!

I don't want to use poison, (so cruel) but I learned online baking soda is effective for rodents if they eat enough. Rodents (like chickens) are unable to belch or pass gas, so the B soda causes rodents to have internal eruptions, (same w insects.) Tho it is ultimately fatal for the rats, I pray the eruptions are a quicker demise than the slow, commercial poison that kill thru internal bleeding. As well as hopefully the b soda not harmful to other animals that eat them.

There are several recipes online mixing equal amounts of B soda w corn meal (or jiffy mix) w a little sugar. I saw signs the rats were going after it every night, (footprints in the substance) but I was still hearing lots of noise and activity every night.
Very recently, the best I've discovered online so far is mixing B soda half & half w peanut butter, and I roll it into little balls. I've used that 2 nights, they seem to ingest more and I think it made a difference already, as the noise has reduced!
Yesterday I saw another recipe of popcorn (broken down smaller) then sprinkled w soap shavings (or even liquid detergent) then add baking soda. I saw video somewhere here on rat / chicken forums that changing up the baits can be most effective. Of course only placed at night and removed before the hens come out in the a.m.

Perhaps the rats can be cats in their next life, or something else not so dangerous to humans and chicken health!!
I hadn't heard about the contraception approach, and I'll add it in. I guess taking measures will be an ongoing maintenance upkeep to prevent re-infestation.

 

[Annalyse]

I too discovered tunnels everywhere this year.. (newbie... only my 2nd winter tending chickens and only 3) having the tunnels under/into my garage, outside chicken pen, garden beds and compost! Then I saw rats in my garage (where my smaller, Fort Knox nightime coop is located, but not penetrable by rats - so far, gratefully!) I have all of the feed surplus in metal cans, I don't spread feed in the outside enclosure, plus clean up any spillage nightly. I started hearing squeaking along w/ rustling - in numerous areas simultaneously - at night. I personally don't want to kill any living creature, and I've tried numerous live-trapping, repeaters traps, etc., (got 14 rats - eeks def not for the faint of heart!!!) but all to no avail. The rats are smart and started avoiding them regardless of what baits I used. I considered buying the Uhlik trap for $200 + expensive release chambers.

But rats multiply VERY fast, and at young ages! So when they started infesting my garage and everywhere else, jeopardizing my girls health & safety, they've got to go! Plus they can MIGRATE into YOUR HOUSE! I don't want to use poison, (seems so cruel) and I learned baking soda is an effective rodent deterrent - if they eat enough. Rodents (like chickens) are unable to belch or pass gas, so the Bsoda causes rodents to have internal eruptions, (same w insects.) Tho it is ultimately fatal for the rats, I pray the eruptions quicker than the slow as commercial poison that kill thru internal bleeding.

There are several recipes online mixing equal amounts of Bsoda w corn meal (or jiffy mix) w a little sugar. I saw signs the rats were going after it every night, but I was still hearing lots of noise and activity every night.
Very recently, the best I've found so far is mixing Bsoda hal & half w peanut butter, and I roll it into little balls. I've used that 2 nights, they seem to ingest more and I think it made a difference already!


Yesterday I saw another recipe of popcorn (broken down smaller) then sprinkled w soap shavings (or even liquid detergent) then add baking soda.


Perhaps the rats can be cats in their next life, or something else not so dangerous to humans and chicken health.
I hadn't heard about the contraception approach, and I'll add it in. I guess measures it will be an ongoing maintenance upkeep to prevent re-infestation.

We have had a rat trap out for a while now caught a possum in it a couple days ago. The rat hasn’t been bothering us since ground is frozen and temp is much much colder. The wood 12” down in the ground helped and we are going to do the other part of the run in the spring time. Overall it’s not bugging us rn. I can tell it’s still digging tunnels but not coming into the run as much maybe like 1 in a week if it’s warmer outside but cold weather is being my friend right now

 

[Kanekoded]

I have chipmunk issues which, I'd say are about the size of a rat - give or take. I use a 5 gallon bucket half filled with water and pour in enough BOSS to cover the top of the water then, I put a little ramp up against the side. The seeds floating on top of the water tricks them into thinking it's a solid surface. On average, I kill about 3-4 chipmunks and 5-6 mice daily using this method. Anyway, it's one more option to add to your list of things to try if the wood doesn't work out.

 

[Annalyse]

I have chipmunk issues which, I'd say are about the size of a rat - give or take. I use a 5 gallon bucket half filled with water and pour in enough BOSS to cover the top of the water then, I put a little ramp up against the side. The seeds floating on top of the water tricks them into thinking it's a solid surface. On average, I kill about 3-4 chipmunks and 5-6 mice daily using this method. Anyway, it's one more option to add to your list of things to try if the wood doesn't work out.

We acaully have a trap like that except it’s empty bc they fall in and can’t get out. This rat is huge though and it’s very smart and hasn’t gone in

 

[rembrandt]

We acaully have a trap like that except it’s empty bc they fall in and can’t get out. This rat is huge though and it’s very smart and hasn’t gone in

maybe consider wiping a bit of peanut butter or tuna along the ladder (enough to follow aroma) to encourage the rats to the bucket top, there to find the same actual bait, and then fall in.