rats!lots

[kathycall]

Rats live under the coop now and carry away 2 lbs of food a nite. ( I've counted 8 ) Traps have been useless, pellet gun too hard and time consuming.. I don't have cats but wonder if I put them in the outside fenced area of coop or right in the coop at night -would it work. Would they kill chickens??

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Here only poison kills rats. I haven't had a cat kill any rats, only mice and birds.

 

[Skipper81]

Put your chicken food in bins so they can’t steal it and they will go away

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree that a cat won't take on grown rats.

I think poisoning is your best option. As awful as that is if you counted 8 there are likely 100+.

 

[Abriana]

Put all feeders up for the night in a tightly sealed container, and keep the feed in a tightly sealed container as well. Taking away the food source will make them go away.

 

[Abriana]

I agree that a cat won't take on grown rats.

I think poisoning is your best option. As awful as that is if you counted 8 there are likely 100+.

My chickens have killed a rat before!

 

[21hens-incharge]

My chickens have killed a rat before!

Yes, they CAN but they sleep while rats are mostly active.

I had a hen take out a squirrel. No dent made in the population though.

 

[Abriana]

Yes, they CAN but they sleep while rats are mostly active.

I had a hen take out a squirrel. No dent made in the population though.

Oh I wasn't saying you should use them for pest control... I doubt that would work well at all
Really? That's crazy! My hens like to ambush the birds that come to eat chicken feed, mice, and frogs.

 

[Twoleggedmotherhen]

We use Just One Bite poison. Can guarantee if you have seen 8, there are many more. Take food out at night, put back in the morning. Also either burying wire 3 foot deep around run and coop or an apron around both.
Our landlord uses Just One Bite in all the building and we also put it out at our place.
There are 5 cats here and they don't even mess with the rats. Heck I watched those cats run from squirrels. Our 12 pound Chihuahua(yes he is a big Chihuahua) does a better job than the cats.

 

[Litchfieldgirls]

Rats live under the coop now and carry away 2 lbs of food a nite. ( I've counted 8 ) Traps have been useless, pellet gun too hard and time consuming.. I don't have cats but wonder if I put them in the outside fenced area of coop or right in the coop at night -would it work. Would they kill chickens??

Rats live under the coop now and carry away 2 lbs of food a nite. ( I've counted 8 ) Traps have been useless, pellet gun too hard and time consuming.. I don't have cats but wonder if I put them in the outside fenced area of coop or right in the coop at night -would it work. Would they kill chickens??

First and foremost, no food or water in the coop at night, once the chickens are away.
That's why they are there.....
Secondly , poison should be last resort, chickens are curious, you'll possibly end up with dead chickens. Try rat traps, hopefully you'll have success! Remove all traps during the day when girls are out. This could take awhile.......as for cats, worth a shot?