Rats in run during the day

[The Moonshiner]

Yeah, I know rats are smart, but I never use poisons or chemical insecticides because it also kills all the predators of the rats when they eat them. One predator such as an owl, hawk or bobcat can eat thousands of rats in one year. But that’s just me, I tend to do everything organically and also feed my chickens that way.

I'm not a fan of poison myself but I am a fan of final solutions.
I tried other methods. Every method I could find.
All they got me was 10Xs as many rats to deal with by the time I decided on poison.
In the end my hesitation cost me more money, more time and countless amounts of damage they caused.
I don't tell anyone they should use poison per say. I just tell them if they want to actually get rid of them once there's an infestation that that will be the only option.
They make poisons now days that won't kill other animals that eat the dead rats.

 

[aart]

My hardware cloth was in 12" at least and somehow the 3 rats got in. But since I put down the pavers -- cause I never located the hole they used to enter -- I haven't had another one.

Perhaps I've just been lucky. But the combo of 12" vertical inches and 12" horizontal inches has done the trick so far.

Confused....was this the final or first solution?....where were the pavers?

 

[IamRainey]

My enclosure was built with the hardware cloth dug in.

I don't know how the rats got in.

After I got rid of them I added the pavers because I never found the hole they used to get into the run. But, it may be they squeezed through a looser wood joint too. That's why I filled any I found with steel wool.

Bottom line, I've been rodent-free and grateful since. But I keep about a dozen rat-size exterior traps armed and still catch one every 4-6 months. I'm thinking they find it easier to get to the compost piles and make themselves comfy there now.

 

[getaclue]

One bite poisons will kill not only the rodents, but the things that might feed on it after dead. Non one bit poisons, do not. They kill the rodents, but not the things that feed on the poisoned dead rodent.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Which rat proof feeder did you order? I bought the one called "rat proof chicken feeder" from The Carpenter Shop and it works amazing. Expensive but worth every penny. Definitely install the "soft close" arm on the side, otherwise the noise freaks out the chickens. My hens took almost 2 weeks to figure out how to use this feeder (without the spring on it), but the new babies figured it out in 24 hours. When you first set it up, watch your birds to ensure everyone is eating.

My hens are scared of rats but they go wild for mice.

Thanks for the good review on our feeder. But training ought not to take two weeks. There are three basic things to do to get the birds using the feeder in a few hours. One, secure that feed to a wall or post so it doesn't move around. Two, make sure the treadle bottoms out on something, the ground, or place a block under it so the chicken can bottom out the treadle and not have to try to balance up on the treadle. Three, remove ALL other feed including any old feed buried in the deep litter. If you do this the birds will learn quickly. Hours, not weeks. The soft close does help with training but if you follow those three rules the birds will turn into little T Rexs after three to four hours of no feed.

 

[cmom]

One bite poisons will kill not only the rodents, but the things that might feed on it after dead. Non one bit poisons, do not. They kill the rodents, but not the things that feed on the poisoned dead rodent.

Not true. Some critters could have a reaction but with secondary poisoning is highly unlikely but anything can happen. I had a possum that got into some bait. After doing some research I found out they are immune to rat bait. It actually tore open a rat bait box. Now I have them where the rats can get to them but not the possum. I had a serious rat infestation in one of my coops. I put the birds in another coop and renovated the rat infested one. I put the rat baits in the coop and in our barn in the rat bait boxes which is behind the coop. Most of the rats will go down into their tunnels and die. No more rat problem. I check the bait boxes regularly and can tell if a rat has had any of the poison but haven't had any takers for awhile. There is a little window on the top so you can see the bait. The bait that came with the box wasn't as effective as the other bait I bought.

 

[Folly's place]

You may catch one or two in traps, but never all of them. I too had to use poison in bait stations, and get a second type of bait after a week or two. Finally the bait was no longer disappearing, because the rodents were all dead! I found two mice and no rats. The rest died in their tunnels.
My barn cats tell me that adult rats are my problem! Some cats will stalk rats, some won't.
A nasty little terrier will do good work, but can't get in the tunnels, and would love chicken too. Ferrets were raised to kill rats in Europe before they became 'house pets' here, and would love chicken even more!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Rats not only eat chicken food, they eat eggs, and kill chickens. It happened here before we eliminated them. They also carry nasty diseases, and aren't an asset to your coop or yard.
Pet rats are adorable; wild ones, not so much.
Mary