Rat problem need more advice

[Qwerty3159]

As far as the Uhlik repeater goes it sounds like the rats have wisened up to it.

I would advise moving the trap to a different location and pin the doors so that the rats can come and go freely and feed. Wait a bit, ant least until they’re clearing out all the feed overnight (a sign they now “trust” the trap again) and then reset it.

 

[Liberty-Chicken]

Back when we had a huge rat problem, we covered the bottom with hardware cloth. All of our coops were built from hardware cloth except for one, which was built from chicken wire. We replaced all the screens on that one coop with hardware cloth, and slowly the rats left because of a lack of food. We did have a cat, who brought in rats every night, but the population was too big so he didn't make much of a dent. Like you, the rats mostly avoided the foot traps. I don't know what kind of coops you have so it might be impossible or hard to replace all the screens. I hoped this helped and good luck with your rat problem!

 

[Liberty-Chicken]

We also tried to empty the feeders at night and feed the chickens in the morning, but we had a lot of coops and this was a lot of work. We also noticed that the rats were desperate and came in the daytime too.

 

[rufuswindsong]

So we never had a rodent problem living on nearly 20 acres until we got a Livestock Guardian dog to protect our free range chickens. Only had to put down one chicken that was attacked by a young eagle before she could get to it. And she wasn’t even a year old. She’s fantastic! But Rats are not. I live in a separate residence on the property, and my folks live in an old one with many access points (we are trying, but I’m disabled and parents are 78 & 80.)
Plus mom is a hoarder so when they chewed their way in they hit the mother load of food…
We’ve been trapping, using Rat X, 50lb bag of sodium bicarbonate (lots cheaper than however many boxes of baking soda that would be) mixed with Costco corn muffin mix and put in baggies in the house and all around outside. They are eating it, chewing the bags open. And running through it which they get on themselves then clean whiskers, etc. at my place they live under the patio, and I’m down to getting mice size in my traps.
My main question… can I mix baking soda in with the chicken food? Would that hurt my chickens? I am almost to the point of rehoming my dog and her flock. Can’t stand to see my parents in this situation. I’ve even installed sonic repellers in their house, and my dad saw one run right by him in his recliner yesterday! ARGH!
Anyone have any experience with copper mesh? Will they not go over it or does it have to be stuffed as a barrier? If people use it to protect their plants/garden from rats shouldn’t it work at my feeder? I’m so fed up. Just like everyone else that has this problem!
Thank you to anyone that can offer advice or consolation… Ruthie

 

[Al Gerhart]

Once you stop feeding the rats and mice they will leave or starve to death. Once again, find Howard E.'s posts on rodent control. This is a problem that people make for themselves and the solution is either sanitation, exclusion, or elimination. The first is the cheapest method. The second solution is much more expensive. The third solution is never ending and likely more expensive than exclusion after ten years.

Don't over think this problem. Just stop feeding the vermin and your problem is solved.

 

[HeritageFan]

Once you stop feeding the rats and mice they will leave or starve to death. Once again, find Howard E.'s posts on rodent control. This is a problem that people make for themselves and the solution is either sanitation, exclusion, or elimination. The first is the cheapest method. The second solution is much more expensive. The third solution is never ending and likely more expensive than exclusion after ten years.

Don't over think this problem. Just stop feeding the vermin and your problem is solved.

Once you stop feeding the rats and mice they will leave or starve to death. Once again, find Howard E.'s posts on rodent control. This is a problem that people make for themselves and the solution is either sanitation, exclusion, or elimination. The first is the cheapest method. The second solution is much more expensive. The third solution is never ending and likely more expensive than exclusion after ten years.

Don't over think this problem. Just stop feeding the vermin and your problem is solved.

I’ve looked through his posts-
I don’t have a rat problem here, but I certainly have a mouse problem.
And squirrels.... although the squirrels have not (yet) breached any of my coops.

Any thoughts on how to train the critters to the treadle feeders?

I have turkeys and ducks. No chickens. But changing feeders is a known problem, esp w the turkeys.
Also. Do you know how big the birds need to be to make the feeder open?

I’d love more info. But. I also don’t want to starve my birds while trying to starve out the rodents....
Hate to think that the birds might not figure it out.... but. I would like some feedback before making the investment

 

[Al Gerhart]

I’ve looked through his posts-
I don’t have a rat problem here, but I certainly have a mouse problem.
And squirrels.... although the squirrels have not (yet) breached any of my coops.

Any thoughts on how to train the critters to the treadle feeders?

I have turkeys and ducks. No chickens. But changing feeders is a known problem, esp w the turkeys.
Also. Do you know how big the birds need to be to make the feeder open?

I’d love more info. But. I also don’t want to starve my birds while trying to starve out the rodents....
Hate to think that the birds might not figure it out.... but. I would like some feedback before making the investment

I wish everyone was as cautious as you are when it comes to spending hard earned money.

Training the birds is easy IF you follow the instructions and have full size hens or mostly full size hens. The lid swings in, not up and over their head like the Chinese made guillotine style feeders like the Grandpa feeder or the other Chinese made clones.

The feeder HAS to be rock solid, no wobble or wiggle when a six pound hen jumps on the treadle. Secure it to the wall with the included metal cleat, you can lift it off for cleaning but have it snugged up to a wall or post. No bungee cords, use a wire or rope if you have to tie it in place.

You need three patio blocks under it, two for the feeder and another to give a landing spot for the hens to walk up on and to stand on so one foot can pin the treadle down while they stand on the other foot. Block the side access, concrete blocks or gallon jugs of water, make em come in from the front of the feeder.

With the feeder rock solid the birds feel safe using the feeder.

Next remove ALL other feed, never, ever, ever, break down and feed hens while training other than using the treadle feeder. Doing so teaches your flock that all they gotta do is wait and they will be fed. No old feed in deep litter, no free range, no snacks or treats unless you toss them the front of the feeder to entice a hen to use the feeder.

Never EVER block the treadle open. You are teaching them the lid isn't supposed to move while they use the feeder.

Adjust the springs to just barely close the door at first. Later you can increase the spring tension to keep the squirrels out. We have a new option coming out later this week, a threaded rod adjusted spring tension system. Very easy to adjust to the exact tension needed for your birds.

The size of the bird, at least three pounds so it has both the weight and the reach to get to the feed once they have the treadle pinned down. The feeder works because of the spring pressure holding the door closed AND putting the narrow treadle way back away from the feed. Read the negative reviews on the other feeders, mice get inside, there is no spring loading on the doors, they just push the lid open and crawl in easily with those big honking wide steps right next to the feed. Do not use a treadle feeder with birds under a pound or a pound and a half, they can get trapped inside the feeder.

I've never kept turkeys but people in our reviews say their turkeys just push the treadle down with their breast muscles. We have a turkey step that helps but you need stiffer spring tension to balance out the door/treadle and of course making the step wider makes it less rat or squirrel proof unless you have a specific feeder set for turkeys and a lot of spring tension set.

The birds are rarely the problem when someone emails asking for help. Every time once you get pictures of the installed feeder they didn't understand or understood but refused to follow the instructions. Once you fix the installation problems the birds quickly learn.

You will not starve a chicken unless you short circuit the process by hand feeding or simply refuse to take advantage of 13 years of our experience in selling and using this feeder.

There are plenty of online independent reviews of our feeder. Google the name of our feeder and add the key word reviews and you will find them. Find our website that ends with .net, tons of info there. The shopping cart has reviews too, that site ends with .com.

Stay skeptical!

 

[rufuswindsong]

Once you stop feeding the rats and mice they will leave or starve to death. Once again, find Howard E.'s posts on rodent control. This is a problem that people make for themselves and the solution is either sanitation, exclusion, or elimination. The first is the cheapest method. The second solution is much more expensive. The third solution is never ending and likely more expensive than exclusion after ten years.

Don't over think this problem. Just stop feeding the vermin and your problem is solved.

Once you stop feeding the rats and mice they will leave or starve to death. Once again, find Howard E.'s posts on rodent control. This is a problem that people make for themselves and the solution is either sanitation, exclusion, or elimination. The first is the cheapest method. The second solution is much more expensive. The third solution is never ending and likely more expensive than exclusion after ten years.

Don't over think this problem. Just stop feeding the vermin and your problem is solved.

Yes, I did the reading prior to posting. So pasting this auto-reply to anyone that has a rat question isn’t very helpful. It certainly can’t help my mom with her hoarding problem that’s been going on for literally decades (which if it could I’d definitely sanitize and buy the suggested feeder!) and the copy/pasted reply says this is a problem that people make for themselves, which is condescending and unhelpful given not reading my circumstances and doesn’t answer the questions I actually asked, which were:

Can I safely put baking soda in with my chicken food, and does anyone have experience with copper mesh?

I know I can take care of the rat problem by rehoming the chickens and livestock guardian dog and let nature do its thing. Been on this property since 1971 when it was nothing but forest and didn’t have rats until we got the guardian dog. Not even last time we had chickens. They just got eaten by the predators as well. Coyotes, foxes, owls, raccoons, and possums we had plenty of, and they kept the homestead rat free. Occasionally mouse-in-the-house issues with their trailer, but that’s all. Again, I just have two questions, that perhaps have nothing to do with rats. 1) Can I put baking soda in with my chicken food without harming the chickens, and 2) Does anyone have any experience with copper mesh keeping rodents away from plants in the garden?

 

[Lilly16]

I have had a mixed flock of chicken and ducks for about 2 years. Over the last year we have had a huge rat problem-not only in numbers but in size. These things are like small cats (Norway rats)!

I have read all of the information on here and found some wonderful advice, but I wanted to get some detailed advice if I could.

Things I have tried:
Snap traps (work sometimes)
Uhlik repeater trap (worked great at first, not so much now)
Contra (did not see a decline in population)
Poison while my flock has been moved during construction
Moved the food to the garage and store in metal cans

Our chicken and duck coops have been 2 10 x 10 dog kennels with plastic sheds inside where the chickens and ducks sleep. We are in the process of replacing those with a 16x20 shed that has a wood floor.

Their "run" is a 10 x 20 area fenced in with chain link and covered with netting (for the hawks).

So these are my plans/questions after reading through things.

1. I will dig down 6" around the shed into the ground and put hardware cloth around the entire base of the new shed and up near the roof where there are any gaps.
2. I will purchase one of the recommended treadle feeders and keep that inside the shed. I guess inside the shed is the best place?
3. I will make sure to empty their water each night.
4. The ducks have a large plastic pond in the run area. It is not economically feasible to empty it every night. Should I try to make some kind of cover for it at night? Do you have any recommendations?
5. I am not sure what, if anything I can do for the run area since rats can easily come through the chain link fence. Maybe just hardware cloth underneath? Do you have any recommendations?
6. Put out a bait trap
7. Try the contra again

I am debating about getting 2 "barn cats", but I really hate that cats kill birds, so I have been putting it off.

Thank you in advance for any input/advice about any of this!

I think that an established rat population will infect and possibly attack the cats.

 

[Stephine]

So we never had a rodent problem living on nearly 20 acres until we got a Livestock Guardian dog to protect our free range chickens. Only had to put down one chicken that was attacked by a young eagle before she could get to it. And she wasn’t even a year old. She’s fantastic! But Rats are not. I live in a separate residence on the property, and my folks live in an old one with many access points (we are trying, but I’m disabled and parents are 78 & 80.)
Plus mom is a hoarder so when they chewed their way in they hit the mother load of food…
We’ve been trapping, using Rat X, 50lb bag of sodium bicarbonate (lots cheaper than however many boxes of baking soda that would be) mixed with Costco corn muffin mix and put in baggies in the house and all around outside. They are eating it, chewing the bags open. And running through it which they get on themselves then clean whiskers, etc. at my place they live under the patio, and I’m down to getting mice size in my traps.
My main question… can I mix baking soda in with the chicken food? Would that hurt my chickens? I am almost to the point of rehoming my dog and her flock. Can’t stand to see my parents in this situation. I’ve even installed sonic repellers in their house, and my dad saw one run right by him in his recliner yesterday! ARGH!
Anyone have any experience with copper mesh? Will they not go over it or does it have to be stuffed as a barrier? If people use it to protect their plants/garden from rats shouldn’t it work at my feeder? I’m so fed up. Just like everyone else that has this problem!
Thank you to anyone that can offer advice or consolation… Ruthie

Did you get this resolved? Probably too late for advice, but maybe it’ll help someone else coming across this. Yours is definitely a situation for a professional exterminator. They will work on exclusion, trapping, removing food access, all that. They have plenty of experience with what works and what doesn’t. Rats and mice in the home are a real health issue.