RATS! They won't leavehttps://www.backyardchickens.com/members/grits-eggs.510574/

[Grits&Eggs]

Hi All, I am in the unincorporated area, but have mostly homes, not a lot of woods/open land and a creek running near the property line. I have LOTS of RATS....ugh, not sure where they are coming from/hiding. My coop is secure, and so far my cameras have not caught even one rat in the coop, but the run, the chunnel system and day pen are over run. I do not leave food out, I dump the water buckets at night, when there is lettuce or veggies in the feeders I empty them for the evening, and am getting frustrated. I knew (before chickens) something was eating my naval oranges, but once the cameras were installed, I am totally grossed out, there have been at least 5 at once foraging and running around. Besides removing the food and putting out live traps and poison (which they are right next to but haven't touched yet!)....anyone have any other ideas??

here is a picture from a couple days ago, there are two, one in the dust bath and one near the poison I set up every night....

 

[chickengeorgeto]

A natural cure would be to get yourself a mink, a weasel, a fox or else a snake and let him or her cull the rat population for you. The trouble with that is you will also suffer predation or loses of hens or eggs from your rat solution. A bait station is going to be your best solution.

 

[Howard E]

They are eating naval oranges on the trees?

If so, you may have black rats, aka, roof rats. If so, you use a different type of bait station......one on a fence or up a tree. They live up there....or in your attic.

Roof rats are also smaller than brown (norway rats, so a big ol wooden rat trap might have a chance to nab one of those. Traps alone won't dent the population, but at least you can confirm what you are up against so you can act accordingly.

 

[cassie]

A Rat Terrier or Jack Russel would go a long way in getting rid of your rats. That is what they were bred for and they are very good at it. Much better than a mink or a snake which could cause bigger problems. If you ask around you might even be able to borrow one.

Years ago I worked as a milker. The dairy was overrun with rats to the point they would come up in the holding pen and watch me milk. My boss got something called pitch packs. It was bait in these little sacks and he threw them around the place down burrows etc. making sure the dogs wouldn't be able to get at them. I have no idea whether these things are still available, but I can tell you they worked. The rats were gone in a matter of days and they never came back.

 

[Naser]

They come for food, no food no rats, it is cheaper and more effective to get rat proof feeders than buying poison.

 

[Grits&Eggs]

@Naser grandpa feeder vs picking up the food, not sure it matters?

 

[Grits&Eggs]

A Rat Terrier or Jack Russel would go a long way in getting rid of your rats. That is what they were bred for and they are very good at it. Much better than a mink or a snake which could cause bigger problems. If you ask around you might even be able to borrow one.

Years ago I worked as a milker. The dairy was overrun with rats to the point they would come up in the holding pen and watch me milk. My boss got something called pitch packs. It was bait in these little sacks and he threw them around the place down burrows etc. making sure the dogs wouldn't be able to get at them. I have no idea whether these things are still available, but I can tell you they worked. The rats were gone in a matter of days and they never came back.

thanks - going to go on a hunt, the poison I am using they don't want to touch....

 

[Grits&Eggs]

They are eating naval oranges on the trees?

If so, you may have black rats, aka, roof rats. If so, you use a different type of bait station......one on a fence or up a tree. They live up there....or in your attic.

Roof rats are also smaller than brown (norway rats, so a big ol wooden rat trap might have a chance to nab one of those. Traps alone won't dent the population, but at least you can confirm what you are up against so you can act accordingly.

heading to home depot for a wooden rat trap, i don't like the catch and release trap, i think they keep coming back!!

Scary to think I am housing them in the attic -- but that makes sense....

 

[aart]

i don't like the catch and release trap

Can catch and 'swim' those.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Would a garbage can of water with sunflower seeds on top of the water work as a trap for that type of rat? I know that has been suggested as a good way to catch rats in other threads.
I only had to deal with a pack rat in Wyoming, and that was only once. Those are nasty smelling critters; adorable as all get out with their big eyes and fuzzy tail, but really stinky and destructive.