Rats🫩

[Cherry2025]

over the last few days we’ve encountered rats, they are getting in from EVERYWHERE but living in an area full of field doesn’t help, they are digging under where the ducks swim in, I’ve covered up most holes but I can’t do much about the digging under where they swim as their pen is up against the fence. We lock the ducks away at night and take away the food but I’m still worried and I know rats are dirty animals so any help or advise would be great. Also maybe recommendations for something to cover the floor in to prevent them digging under (not expensive)

 

[CherishedFowlGuardian]

Is that wooden fence yours?

 

[Jenbirdee]

You need to skirt your house with hardware cloth all the way around. You attach it at least a few inches up from the bottom of their house and then going down into the ground or at least along the ground with cinderblocks on it or something to hold it in place what I did I dug a trench around my house that was a foot and a half deep and 2 feet wide and I used 4 foot wide hardware cloth all the way around attached it a few inches up from the bottom of the house on the outside going down into the trench and then bending and going across the trench and then refilled everything. I did this because I had a mouse that kept digging under my duck house and It was driving me crazy so one day I decided I better just do the hardware cloth skirt , thank God its done, but it took me a couple weeks. some people might have pictures of how they did it and hopefully will come over and post it here for you.

 

[CherishedFowlGuardian]

You need to skirt your house with hardware cloth all the way around. You attach it at least a few inches up from the bottom of their house and then going down into the ground or at least along the ground with cinderblocks on it or something to hold it in place what I did I dug a trench around my house that was a foot and a half deep and 2 feet wide and I used 4 foot wide hardware cloth all the way around attached it a few inches up from the bottom of the house on the outside going down into the trench and then bending and going across the trench and then refilled everything. I did this because I had a mouse that kept digging under my duck house and It was driving me crazy so one day I decided I better just do the hardware cloth skirt , thank God its done, but it took me a couple weeks. some people might have pictures of how they did it and hopefully will come over and post it here for you.

 

[Blue Andalusian]

Chickens will hunt mice, an i think eat them too. My Rooster ha one toay. So, i on't think its ierent or Mice

 

[ruthhope]

I had an epidemic of rats (known as tree rats or roof rats) last year. Six or more of them coming swooping down out of the trees shading my duck house every evening at dusk. The only safe way to get rid of them was to trap them. I put 4 traps set with peanut butter in a wire dog crate, right outside the duck house each night. One nightcI caught 4. Other nights 1. Its not safe to poison them as owls and hawks eat the dead rats and die. I put the traps in a dog crate so that possums, armadillo and raccoons dont get to them.

Your rats sound like sewer rats as they are digging holes: but the way to rid yourself of them is the same: trap them

 

[Goosebaby]

As you found out even removing the food doesn’t work. Rats are smart and when they learn there’s a cozy place they can get into but predators can’t, like a coop, they set up shop food or not.

I use no kill traps, in my experience kill traps only work two or three times before the rats learn to avoid them. Small box traps work even better after you’ve already caught and released one because the rest smell where their buddy went but importantly don’t smell blood or death, it’s even more inviting. Just remember to release the rat miles away from your place or they’ll come back.
The worst thing you can do is let one get away that can get back, they teach the others to avoid traps.

The only thing that works better than a box trap is a good ratter. If you have a dog take it into the duck area and start rooting around for rats, most dogs get the hang of it quickly and absolutely love it.

 

[Cherry2025]

Is that wooden fence yours?

Nope, it’s my neighbours

 

[Cherry2025]

As you found out even removing the food doesn’t work. Rats are smart and when they learn there’s a cozy place they can get into but predators can’t, like a coop, they set up shop food or not.

I use no kill traps, in my experience kill traps only work two or three times before the rats learn to avoid them. Small box traps work even better after you’ve already caught and released one because the rest smell where their buddy went but importantly don’t smell blood or death, it’s even more inviting. Just remember to release the rat miles away from your place or they’ll come back.
The worst thing you can do is let one get away that can get back, they teach the others to avoid traps.

The only thing that works better than a box trap is a good ratter. If you have a dog take it into the duck area and start rooting around for rats, most dogs get the hang of it quickly and absolutely love it.

Thank you, I’ve been thinking of setting traps while the ducks are away at night to try get them as I think there’s a few coming in. I’m assuming they are coming from next door as they don’t have a proper back fence anything can get in