Rats eatting flesh off birds.... options for stoping this?

[tnchickenut]

I'm on my way out the door but real quick....

Two young standard pullets had their tails eatten off. The second one is ALOT worse, and I may shoot it this evening if it doesn't act any better. NO I won't post pics because I emidiately treated them, I didn't run in the house to get my camera first.

Both are being treated and getting anti-biotics and topical aid.... but my question is this:

What can I use around chickens to kill the rats? My cats killed one two days ago (and it was HUGE) but they aren't killing them fast enough for my taste. So, chickens around, cats around... how do I kill the rats safely?

Sorry to be short but I'm out the door to go buy more "EMT" that girl had me use up the tube on her.

 

[Olive Hill]

You can try trapping them, but your best bet is going to be to predator proof your coop to keep them out.

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

Quote:
yes, they breed so quickly its almost impossible to get rid of them unless you rat-proof your coop.

 

[Chick Charm]

Keep the rats out at all costs. Use a small hardware cloth around all areas a rat can enter. That will keep them out at those entry points. My other suggestion would be to not use rat poison as the poison is transferrable to anything that eats the rat, like your chickens. Oh and if you have an airgun, shoot em with it. The pellet guns are not loud or dangerous but do a good job on a rat.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you can put it where your chickens and cats can't get at it, you could put some chicken feed laced with concrete out for the rats. Not a quick, painless death, but you don't have to worry about your cats or chickens getting ahold of a poisoned rat that way, either. (Although my cats never eat dead rats anyway. Don't know if the chickens would,though) If you don't get rid of the rats your infestation will only get worse.

 

[PeepsInc]

My friend has 1000 birds + goats dogs cats geese & lots of others. I have 150 birds geese goat dogs cats & others. We both use "Just 1 Bite" bars to eliminate rats & mice. My coops are all off the ground,so I get mice on occasion,but I've never seen a rat. His coops sit on the ground & the rats like to tunnel under them. Neither of us have ever lost a pet,bird or livestock using the bars. I've even seen the barn cats eat the dead rats with no visible negative results to the cat. The green pellet poison is useless. All the rat has to do is eat green grass to neutralize the poison in the green pellets. So my best advice would be jack your coop & block up under it if you can & get some just one bite bars. Most hardware stores have it.

 

[carrlr]

http://www.strombergschickens.com/products/traps.php

You could try this repeating rat trap (bottom of page).

 

[Judy]

There is a rat poison which kills only the animal that eats it, and does not kill anything that eats the dead rat. I went from a real rat problem to no rats in a very short period of time, using this. The chemical name is bromadiolone. The brand available here is Just One Bite. I stuck it down the rat holes then covered them with something too heavy for the chickens to move, like a concrete block.

You have to be aggressive or you will have a real infestation very quickly.

eta -- oops, missed post #6 which talks about the same stuff. I got it at Ace Hardware.

 

[Mahonri]

1 bait tube filled regularly with Just One Bite under or near the coop will keep you rat free. Be certain that your chickens can't reach their heads in the hole of the bait tube.

 

[Catstar68]

Be careful with poison. Most poisons that kill the rat will also kill anything that eats the poisoned rat. I haven't heard of bromadiolone but if it works it's a step above the usual poisons.
I've seen alot of cats and dogs in the vet hospital with secondary rat bait poisoning.

Make sure their access to easy feed sources (your cat or chicken food) is cut off and predator proof everything. Keep clutter at a minimum if you can to cut down on hiding/breeding places.
That's all I got.