This one I agree with 100%, always keep at least two sometimes 3 cats and have only had a rat problem once or twice in 18 years. Cats usually took care of it.
Rat Problem
- Thread starter cluckmecoop7
- Start date
Rats here too (South Carolina Low Country). I still struggle with it. We had snakes but that was getting ridiculous plus I kinda lose my temper when they're "all up in the chicken space" so I did kill most of the rat snakes (I know, I know: they're beneficial but as I said, I lost my temper...3 times). I set one free at the far end of the property.
Anyway, what I have learned about our rats is they will try anything once or twice. So we use the water/drowning method for a couple of days, then poison under the coop, then vigorous cussing
and swearing at them and on it goes. I hate those things. 
Anyway, what I have learned about our rats is they will try anything once or twice. So we use the water/drowning method for a couple of days, then poison under the coop, then vigorous cussing
and swearing at them and on it goes. I hate those things. 
We heard about a natural solution and it seemed to work. Put out some dry instant mashed potatoes, but outside the coop so the chickens don't get into it. The rat eats it, then when it drinks water, the potatoes expand in the stomach and it dies. Don't use poison as there is a huge problem with owls dying from eating poisoned rats. Also I don't leave any chicken food out at night. That was definitely attracting them. Good luck.
LMN1966
Songster
Rat traps use peanut butter. Best of luck!
I have 2 cats, which I adopted to keep the mouse population under control. They are useless..... They catch lizards, snakes, moles, frogs...everything BUT mice. All these go to the chickens because the cats don't eat them, they just play them to death.
They also don't do anything about rats. Mind you, my cats are indoor/outdoor kids and are probably too well fed to catch mice/rats for their own food.
For chicken food, I make fermented feed for my chickens and there is absolutely NO wasted feed. Nothing on the ground for other critters to find. This might be a good solution for you. Only feed what they can eat in 15 minutes. My kids free range so they get food from me in the morning and in the late afternoon just to make sure they get a good balanced diet.
They also don't do anything about rats. Mind you, my cats are indoor/outdoor kids and are probably too well fed to catch mice/rats for their own food.
For chicken food, I make fermented feed for my chickens and there is absolutely NO wasted feed. Nothing on the ground for other critters to find. This might be a good solution for you. Only feed what they can eat in 15 minutes. My kids free range so they get food from me in the morning and in the late afternoon just to make sure they get a good balanced diet.
Weeg
Enabler
That is actually a good idea to use instead of poison. You probably want to put it in a bait box though, so nothing else eats it. @cluckmecoop7, if it does come down to using poison, then use this!
Borders3
Crowing
Very interesting article. I free range my girls all the time. I would like to try the plaster of paris treat for the rats but wouldn't it have the same effect on the chickens? How would I be able to stop my girls eating any the rats missed?
CochinLady61
Chirping
I've been using the Victor Electronic (https://www.amazon.com/Victor-M250S...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583657821431657&psc=1) rat/mice traps. One night I stood in the barn and had to empty the trap 8 times in the space of an hour.
I move them around and on occasion leave them off so the rats/mice eat the bait . I use peanut butter. There are two different sizes. I have both.
I move them around and on occasion leave them off so the rats/mice eat the bait . I use peanut butter. There are two different sizes. I have both.
Weeg
Enabler
You would need to get a unit box to be sure that the other animals, including wildlife wouldn't eat it as well. Do everything the article states before opting to plaster of paris, or any kind of "poison" like method. It is much better to use those ideas, before anything that could possibly harm other animals.
Angelique123456
Chirping
- Sep 8, 2020
- 61
- 62
- 91
Read it it was good I did that and no more rats but they still like to love around the coop for some reason. One year in the spring I was cleaning out the coop and I saw they made tunnels under the poop
. Nasty 
little things. Another year I went to close the door late one night and I saw them jumping from the chicken rack to the food bin. I have a chicken rack so the birds sleep on it at night. They like to sleep high on it. And the smart mice 
jumped from the rack to the food bin that I have hanging so they don’t get to it. Would you believe it. La fet joly... lol 
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