rat

Chickens will exterminate mice nests, but not very likely they'll get the rat. Rats are disease vectors and should be eliminated immediately. They also reproduce like there's no tomorrow, so the sooner the better. If you've seen one, there is probably at least an entire family dwelling under that shed.

edited for typos

Jody

 

Get rid of the rat. My chickens have killed 4-5 rats and have managed to eat a couple before we found them in the run.
BTW, where there is one rat, there is more! Get out your traps and walnuts.

 

Have to agree, there is never one rat, or mouse. Best to get rid of them.

Anne

 

Rats and mice don't carry disease as often as most people think. I really don't consider it a big deal around here. However rats are extremely destructive and they will reproduce like crazy given a chance. Last time we had rats they dug out the limestone base around the stable, tunneled under the concrete walkway, tore apart 10 bales of oat straw, destroyed 2 bags of feed, ate probably another 2 bags worth, chewed out the side of 10 bags of shavings...... Finally we emptied all the hay out of the building and let the dog go at them. Wipe them out now before they start chewing holes in your coop and making off with eggs, feed, or even chicks.

 

We had some we just released some snakes and got rid of the prob. As long as u keep your chickens safe from the snakes. We've never had snake probs. But I enjoyed watching the rats run around I would sit and watch them eat.

 

Quote:What snakes did you release? Where did you get them?
My cousin released alligators in a lake to get rid of nutria and red eared sliders, but he had to re-trap them once they finished the job so they wouldn't populate the area. I'd love to release snakes at my house to help with rodents, but I'd be worried about messing with the balance of nature, that sort of thing (not that I haven't already screwed it up by populating part of it with my chickens )