Rat Problem

[cmom]

Everyone is different and so is the choice of how to deal with the rats. I have tried a lot of different things. I'll stick with the poison. The bait stations work great because nothing can get to the bait except the rats. I have tried different baits. some they wouldn't touch and another they loved. I haven't seen or found any evidence of rats in a long time and the baits haven't been touched and I haven't found any dead rats laying around and no dead birds or other critters. I don't put the bait stations anywhere near the chickens. Rats will travel a distance so the baits don't need to be around the birds. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

So I didn't catch anymore rats. Gahh! What can I do? They are still out in about. I tried flooding their whole, but nothing came out.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

I truly hate to use poison, but like you said, you tried everything. Did you use bait boxes so nothing else could get to it? Its great that you got rid of your rats, bravo! I encourage you @cluckmecoop7 to only use poison as a last resort. Most poisons will do mare harm then good.

I DON'T want to use poison. I'll take your advice.

 

[lightspeed]

I also highly suggest the rat proof feeder suggested in the article! I love mine and it totally does the job! Waste proof, weather proof, rust proof, water proof, tip proof, rat proof, holds a bunch of feed, and easy to teach to use! Be aware though, it does ship from New Zealand though, so may take awhile to come.

I am not seeing a picture of the feeder (from New Zealand) or any article. How can I find it please?

 

[CassieD]

Okay, but how expensive is it?

I have the RentACoop Treadle Feeder. It holds 25 lbs of feed, 3 chickens can feed at a time. It cost $120 on Amazon. Nothing gets onto it, although I do check it each night to make sure that the platform they step on to open the feeder isn’t stuck up. That would allow bugs and rodents to feed

 

[MysteryChicken]

I just trapped the rats when we had invasions of them last year. After we got Guineas the rats disappeared.

 

[birddog456]

We had a few rats tunneling under coop with patio paver floor. Pulled it up, put in larger stone and sand, same thing. Pulled it up second time and poured concrete...take that you dirty rat! Rats still around, just not getting in coop, so made a mixture of sugar, corn meal, and plaster paris, shaped in to little balls and placed them in barn. They disappeared quickly! Never seen a rat, or any signs since.

 

[Weeg]

So I didn't catch anymore rats. Gahh! What can I do? They are still out in about. I tried flooding their whole, but nothing came out.

You need to rat proof everything, fill in the hole with steel wood and hardware cloth, and od everything the article says.

 

[Weeg]

Amazon just go t it back unstick, so it won't take so long to come anymore. Here is a link, I liked it in my first post at the feeder. This is the big one- https://www.amazon.com/Grandpas-Fee...feeders&qid=1605976013&sr=8-2&tag=googhydr-20 Look up grandpas feeders online, and you will find there store.

I am not seeing a picture of the feeder (from New Zealand) or any article. How can I find it please?

 

[Weeg]

We had a few rats tunneling under coop with patio paver floor. Pulled it up, put in larger stone and sand, same thing. Pulled it up second time and poured concrete...take that you dirty rat! Rats still around, just not getting in coop, so made a mixture of sugar, corn meal, and plaster paris, shaped in to little balls and placed them in barn. They disappeared quickly! Never seen a rat, or any signs since.

Rats can chew through concrete and can tune through sand and gravel. I am sure it discouraged them from the coop, but eventually they will find there way back through e concrete.