RAT POISON TYPES

[barkpurr]

We are over run by RATS! We have kept Chicken feed away when chickens have eaten, still have them. We have done the catch released about 10 miles away in an open field,,,,, they are smart, walk around the trap cage. We have caught 9 in the last month, but their are literally families of them running around inside the chicken pens when the chickens are out and about in our yard/property. We literally can stand and watch them, they are not afraid, only run when we walk up close to them!!

We don't want to kill them, but, at this point, it's the RATS or us and our chickens. We have 12 chickens.

We were in Home Depot and found RAT X, pellets. The clerk said it's good because when the RAT eats the pellets, they die and when they do, their insides are desolved so no death stink is left.

My question is this. Where would they die? If we don't smell them, how would we find them? Probably a dumb question. Also, I'm worried about Cats that come around and would they eat the dead RAT? Our 2 Cats are inside Cats!!

We plan to fence off an area that is close to the where the chickens are, RATS hang out,,,,to put the poison down in Clay saucers,,,,,,the Chickens will not be able to be near the poison, only the Rats.

Question? Would the RATS be able to carry the poison in their mouths and perhaps drop it in the Chicken pen? They would be able to still get in there since I imagine they have tunnels etc. The Coop is inside the pen itself,, as well.

I just don't want to kill my Chickens in the process or perhaps kill a Cat that is not mine.

 

[TalkALittle]

Don't use pellets on saucers! The rats will carry them away to who knows where and other animals could get to it. You want the fastest acting chunk bait you can find (kills within 24 hours of ingestion). Set it up in a bait station that only rats/mice can enter (buy one or make your own using pvc pipe). Place the station close to their tunnels/nest. You want to make it easy for them to eat the bait and go back to die in their tunnels, not spend a couple days wandering around while you wait for the poison to take effect.

Yes, animals that catch and eat a rat that has eaten poison or find and eat the dead rats can die of secondary poisoning.

There is also a recipe to make your own rat bait with peanut butter and plaster of paris that many report success with. It hardens in the rat's gut and kills them. It's done hardening by the time any other animal might come across the carcass of the rat.

If it were me and they were running around in the open, I'd shoot them, but I'm guessing that wouldn't be your cup of tea.

 

[barkpurr]

What do you mean use a 'chunk bait'? The RAT X pellets I bought have arsenic in it. When I go back to the store, what do I ask for or look for?

 

[TalkALittle]

What do you mean use a 'chunk bait'?  The RAT X pellets I bought have arsenic in it.  When I go back to the store, what do I ask for or look  for?

Chunk bait is just that, chunks or bricks of bait. An internet search of "chunk bait rat poison" should get you lots of options. I know Tomcat brand has a chunk version.

 

[barkpurr]

Thank you so much, I will do that. Wish me luck!