RATS RATS EVERYWHERE!

[cmom]

https://www.amazon.com/Tomcat-Kille...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'll do my best to rat proof the coop, no chance of that with the run - it's too large to wrap the whole thing in 1/4" hardware cloth! I'll take food away at night and lock it up.

Photos of set up? If the run doesn't have 1/2" or smaller hardware cloth/welded wire, yes rats and mice can just waltz in.

I've had pretty good luck only putting hardware cloth up the bottom few feet and aproning out a couple of feet. Once I had that fully installed, AND I started taking away all food at night, the rats stopped coming in. No food, no easy access = no reason to come on in.

 

[Morgan Leigh]

Hi there,


I have an suburban coop with 4 hens. I've had them for about 6 weeks now and it's been great, EXCEPT FOR THE RATS!
I've caught sight of one or two over the last couple of weeks in the yard, and had no luck with snap traps, glue traps, zapper traps. Can't use poison here due to all the kids and pets around. Tonight I went out to close the hens in a little later than usual (past dark) and walked in on a rat fiesta! It was awful, saw at least 8 in the coop! NIGHTMARE. I am now thoroughly investigating the entire coop and blocking off any possible entry points with steel wool and/or hardware cloth tomorrow. I'm also going to go out and buy rat-proof feeders like in the photos attached I found in a local farm supply store - can't find any treadle feeders for less than $300 around here. Any other tips or advice to get rid of them!? URGH, I'm am SO creeped out!! Going to do a deep clean of everything when I solve the food source issue. What a mess!

To add, can hens carry disease from rats and transfer to their eggs?! Now I'm paranoid!

Have you tried feeding the rats separately? Like enticing them to another area?

 

[Folly's place]

Encouraging a rat colony? Really? Not a good idea!
Mary

 

[Al Gerhart]

The rats are there because you are feeding them chicken feed. Get a proper feeder and the rats will leave. You can take the food in at night and they will just eat during the day. You can hang the feeder and they will just jump up into the feeder, BTW, there is no rat proof hanging feeder. Not a single one on the market.

Fencing them out? Not happening without spending more money than you will ever save raising chickens for the next five years. Rats can chew through concrete, the only thing that stops them is steel. Rats have to chew or their teeth will not be worn down and will pierce their skull.

Poisoning them? Not happening, they will stop eating the bait unless they are starving which is one of the side benefits of a proper rat proof chicken feeder. That means no plastic parts, spring loaded door, heavy counterweight, and narrow and distant treadle.

 

[mailmamm]

Hi there,


I have an suburban coop with 4 hens. I've had them for about 6 weeks now and it's been great, EXCEPT FOR THE RATS!
I've caught sight of one or two over the last couple of weeks in the yard, and had no luck with snap traps, glue traps, zapper traps. Can't use poison here due to all the kids and pets around. Tonight I went out to close the hens in a little later than usual (past dark) and walked in on a rat fiesta! It was awful, saw at least 8 in the coop! NIGHTMARE. I am now thoroughly investigating the entire coop and blocking off any possible entry points with steel wool and/or hardware cloth tomorrow. I'm also going to go out and buy rat-proof feeders like in the photos attached I found in a local farm supply store - can't find any treadle feeders for less than $300 around here. Any other tips or advice to get rid of them!? URGH, I'm am SO creeped out!! Going to do a deep clean of everything when I solve the food source issue. What a mess!

To add, can hens carry disease from rats and transfer to their eggs?! Now I'm paranoid!

Take equal parts of plaster of Paris and cornmeal and make a dough. Roll into balls and place along the rats travel rout usually along walls or edges of things. They eat the dough and can’t digest it . This works. I had rats and nothing got rid of them. I placed a couple near their nest too. Just don’t let the hens get any and remove feeder at night.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Hi there,


I have an suburban coop with 4 hens. I've had them for about 6 weeks now and it's been great, EXCEPT FOR THE RATS!
I've caught sight of one or two over the last couple of weeks in the yard, and had no luck with snap traps, glue traps, zapper traps. Can't use poison here due to all the kids and pets around. Tonight I went out to close the hens in a little later than usual (past dark) and walked in on a rat fiesta! It was awful, saw at least 8 in the coop! NIGHTMARE. I am now thoroughly investigating the entire coop and blocking off any possible entry points with steel wool and/or hardware cloth tomorrow. I'm also going to go out and buy rat-proof feeders like in the photos attached I found in a local farm supply store - can't find any treadle feeders for less than $300 around here. Any other tips or advice to get rid of them!? URGH, I'm am SO creeped out!! Going to do a deep clean of everything when I solve the food source issue. What a mess!

To add, can hens carry disease from rats and transfer to their eggs?! Now I'm paranoid!

BTW, take a close look at the negative reviews on that plastic Chinese made contraption they are claiming is rat proof. They are not rat proof, not even close to being rat proof.

 

[Hidrainja4]

I hope this link works. I had a local handy man build a treadle feeder here are the plans. https://www.woodworkingcorner.com/feeder.php he did not charge me much and used scrap wood he had on hand. You absolutely have to limit access to the feed. I am not liking the poison idea either. Here is a link to inexpensive bucket traps https://www.ratrelief.com/bucket-rat-traps/ Remove any thing they can hide in piles of brush or stacks of lumber under the porch very tall grass. Good luck!