rats. RATS! help! giant rats!

[Oneacre Homestead]

Do the sunflower seeds work? Anyone know?

 

[pinkwindsong]

Quote:
so the "Hawk" poisen did work? good to know weve been using Tom Cat and it will kiill a few but not enough to eradicate the problem or even make a major dent..

)O(pink

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I caught a couple that way, but then they avoided the water trap completely.

 

[arockkid]

Just don't try the peanut butter/plaster of paris trick.....it does not work. Tried it, and just made protein powered super rats. I found a legitimate research study online that says that it doesn't work, just makes it a little more painful to poo.
I thought I was so clever making all these little balls, and they were getting gobbled up.
Resorted to poison that took about a week, and no activity since.

 

[goldeneggtees]

Quote:
I had these very same bait stations and the hens were able to knock one around and broke the contents free. I guess the bait got wet and was easier to break up. I wouldn't recommend putting these bait stations anywhere near your birds.

 

[goldeneggtees]

This sounds like a very interesting item and one that I would love to try.

Quote:

 

[rhs7111]

Quote:
You're absolutely correct; NO poison is safe from secondary poisoning risk, no matter what the label says (it's false advertsing, based on bad science).
The rats will kill you rchickens (we've lost pullets and small adult hens to rats before). Traps really are the best method, both in terms of safety to other animals (if you place them where no other creatures can get in them) and as far as a humane, fast death for the rats. That matters as well.

The key to successful rat trapping is placement, and changing the bait often. A good strategy is to put down MANY traps for the first few times before the rats learn that trap bait is bad. Rats are smart and quickly figure out that traps kill and will avoid certain foods (bait) or locations. I'm told bacon is a great bait to start with. Hit the rats hard the first time.

Good luck. Once established rat colonies set in, they are sooo difficult to get rid of, and they are seriously dangerous. Also, as a side note, one of the few natural predators of the rat is the opossum. If you can attract opposum (yet prevent them from getting into your coop as they are also a threat to chickens) they will reduce the rat popoulation.

 

[rhs7111]

Quote:
I hear ya, and I'm certainly not implying that the poison is "safe", it's not! It's poison. But the non-secondary kind at least won't poison a predator who eats the poisoned rat, that's all. The best thing you can do, then, given your lifestyle preferences, is do the other things I suggested. Be sure all feed, seed, etc. is sealed up in tight containers, raise chicken feeders, "think like a rat" and seal, lift, remove anything that might make the area conducive to their thriving. Also seal off holes in the chicken coop or sheds, etc. If enough factors are removed, they will move on to better opportunities. I've done many home inspections for folks who are sure they have everything rat proof, and have pointed out many things that they are unknowingly doing that encourages them. So try doing your own inspection and get rid of or seal off anything a rat might like. I am not a chemical kind of person either, believe it or not, despite what I do for a living. I've never had to use poison at my home, but it's because I know a lot about how to prevent them in the first place. Good luck!

There is no such thing as a poison without significant secondary poisoning risk. That is false advertising on the part of the manufacturer.