Rats in my chicken house

[Possum Manor West]

I am sooooo disgusted. We had an issue with a neighbor and his mound of garbage, and I now have a rat family in my chicken house. When I go in at night, to make sure everyone is all snuggled in, the rats are in there, just looking at me. I used a live trap and caught one, who now lives ten miles away, but there are more. Last night one small one stuck his head out of a hole in the ground. The two larger ones just stood there and stared at me. So, I will get a second trap and hope to catch them one or two at a time.

Any suggestions?

Kathie

 

[dylan135]

that happened to me aswell .I put the blocks of poisen with the hole in the middel of it on wire and tied it to something so they had to eat it there and then they are all dead now or moved some where else.

best of look

 

[layalittleeggfo]

The rats we have are out smarting the traps, didnt want to use poison incase the chickens get it, but now looks like we have no choice.

 

[farmboy22]

I have had problems with mice in my coop. The best thing to do is to put rat poison in there, putting it in an area the chickens do not have the ability to go there

 

[layalittleeggfo]

We are trying different snap traps. Also got poison and glue traps since tthe rat got a egg ( or so we presume ) we stepping up rat attack

 

[aart]

Using poison can kill other animals that may eat the poisoned dead vermin...including your chickens or dogs.

Bucket trap is my favorite, can catch and kill multiples with out reloading.

 

[Possum Manor West]

I will have to look up what a bucket trap is. I thought I had caught all the rats, as I had only seen four. However, last night there were two more in there. I see them go down a hole in the back corner, behind the nesting boxes, and I have a question. Do they leave or do they just reside in my coop? Last night the trap did not spring, so they got the peanut butter, but tonight I will make sure it is set properly. I am taking out all chicken feed during the night too.

I cannot even begin to say how disgusted I am. I am really afraid of using poison, as I live in the mountains, and I could kill a lot of things I do not want to kill. I might have to call in a professional, but I am hoping my traps will eventually get them all.

 

[aart]

I will have to look up what a bucket trap is. I thought I had caught all the rats, as I had only seen four. However, last night there were two more in there. I see them go down a hole in the back corner, behind the nesting boxes, and I have a question. Do they leave or do they just reside in my coop? Last night the trap did not spring, so they got the peanut butter, but tonight I will make sure it is set properly. I am taking out all chicken feed during the night too.

I cannot even begin to say how disgusted I am. I am really afraid of using poison, as I live in the mountains, and I could kill a lot of things I do not want to kill. I might have to call in a professional, but I am hoping my traps will eventually get them all.

Just google bucket trap.

Cover that hole, and any others, with 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth, find out where the hole goes.

Is your coop on the ground or does it have a floor very close to the ground....they may be living underneath it.

 

[Possum Manor West]

I have found that, indeed, the rats are living in the ground under my coop. I have found the holes. I have used the live trap and have relocated five...FIVE...already, but I do not have the adults.

Here is my question....What can I put in the holes to take care of the problem? I have thought of cement, but they would just pop out somewhere else. I will put hardware cloth on the ground eventually, but in the meantime these buggers are multiplying... I have thought of running the hose down the hole, but that will make them come up the other. I cannot use rat poison so close to the chickens....I read cayenne pepper....

Any suggestions? Please.

Kathie

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

I had tunnels all over the place and found a product that works great when you can get to the holes. The rats seem to hate it and it doesn't hurt the chickens. It's called Molemax from Bonide. It contains castor oil. I just dump a bunch in the hole and then run a hose in there driving the stuff into the tunnel. Then I put a rock over the hole opening. They never use that tunnel again. It takes a bit of effort to drive them all out! But if you can stink up their tunnels faster than they can dig them you can win! Every once in a while I have ones that come back and try again. So you have to stay on top of it. Poison is a more permanent solution, but my dogs would eat any dead or dying rat they found!