Rats!

[billymcdonaldnp]

My run is 15 x 15 feet and the wire goes down into the dirt, but the rats keep tunneling under. I keep trapping them and they keep coming. I'm thinking about putting pavers over the entire floor, or putting wire over the entire floor. How are other people dealing with rats?

 

[donrae]

When I have rats, I put out poison. I use the bait stations where no other animals can get to the bait. I've never had a problem with my birds or dogs or cats eating a dead rat or mouse that had been baited. I actually accidentally dumped a rat carcass that was in a pile of loose hay into the main coop this last weekend. Went back a few hours later and the hens had uncovered it but they weren't going to touch it for anything....they were sure talking about it, though!

 

[billymcdonaldnp]

How far below ground do you bury coop wire?

 

[Hholly]

I'm having the same problem. I have been picking up the chicken feeders every night. But they still keep tunneling into my coop. I have bait and traps out, but they won't touch the bait. My plan is to crush up the bait and mix it with peanut butter and spread it on crackers. Then I will drop it in their hole I also bought a Rat Zapper. So far have only caught a mouse.

 

[billymcdonaldnp]

Thanks H Holly. Same problem here. My latest is, I got PVC drain pipe, cut it up in 2+ foot lengths, put my traps (plus sticky traps) inside the tubes so the chickens don't get hammered as they are so curious. So now each wall of the coop has a tube secured by bricks. I'll post if it works. But at least I'm not going out at 6 am every night to pick up the traps for chicken safety. Caught one rat and 3 mice in my electric zapper, but I know there are more. So irritating!!

 

[billymcdonaldnp]

I made the mistake of folding and burrying it a foot (but not down) and putting bricks on top. How far down should I go for rats?