Rat problem

[Cyprus]

I've been drowning them. Very effective.

 

[Folly's place]

If you see one or two, you have MANY! All good suggestions above, and HowardE has some good videos. No trap will catch every rat because they are just too smart. Eliminating access points is essential, and that will mean getting those rabbits moved so you can fix that area too.
Most poisoned rats will return to their burrows to die, which helps a lot, because you are then filling them in and denying access.
It's likely that only poisoned bait will eliminate your colony.
Mary

 

[Kessel23]

I was not worried about the rabbits eating the rats, I'm worried about them eating the poison. Also, before I do the no food thing, I have seen posts and heard people talking about how rats have killed their small chickens, eaten eggs, and raided nests. I have not had this happen yet, should that be something to watch out for once a eliminate all food? I can't block off or burry the burrows/warm spots because, as I said before, the ground is harder than a rock right now.

Removing the rabbits is not an option right now. The hutch makes up 1/3rd of the chicken coop run and has 5 rabbits. I have 3 other hutches but they are holding my spare bucks.

 

[Folly's place]

I lost eggs and three nice bantam pullets to rats a couple of years ago, a terrible experience. It made using bait stations an easy choice, and redoing coop access points with yet more hardware cloth.
Can you use hardware cloth over those ground tunnels, with something like rubber stall mats on top?
Mary

 

[Kessel23]

I lost eggs and three nice bantam pullets to rats a couple of years ago, a terrible experience. It made using bait stations an easy choice, and redoing coop access points with yet more hardware cloth.
Can you use hardware cloth over those ground tunnels, with something like rubber stall mats on top?
Mary

Good idea but I have neither of those things on hand atm, won't be going anywhere for a few days because of the weather unfortunately, that plan will need to wait a few days.

 

[TashaFrancois]

I agree cleaning up, filling holes, and removing food at night helps a lot. I have also had very good luck with a battery powered rat zap trap. Instant so no long horrible death. Just dump it the fire pit and put it back for the next one.

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

This is very timely for me. My dog killed a rat just the other day. I don't know where she found it. She has never caught a rat before, only of moles, squirrels, and rabbits. Should I assume that there are more rats? That they go in the chicken coop? I live in suburbia with a 1/3 acre yard.

 

[Folly's place]

Rats are everywhere, and are very good at finding food sources, especially around humans. Garbage, bird feeders, food left out for pets, and of course poultry and other livestock housing. If you see one, there will be many more!
Mary

 

[Jammerz]

I had a problem with them and couldn't catch them for the longest time. I finally tried a Havahart trap with a piece of cardboard over it to make it dark. I caught 4 this way. I then caught 2 in my diving board trap (cantilevered plant over a bucket) I caught 2 in snap traps. The best bait I found was nuts glued down with Nutella. I haven't caught a rat in 3 months now. I think I got them all until more move in.

 

[MROO]

This is very timely for me. My dog killed a rat just the other day. I don't know where she found it. She has never caught a rat before, only of moles, squirrels, and rabbits. Should I assume that there are more rats? That they go in the chicken coop? I live in suburbia with a 1/3 acre yard.

Make sure she's up-to-date on her vaccinations, especially her rabies shot. And get her a booster. Once symptoms show up, rabies is not curable.