Rats!!

[jubylives]

No, really. RATS!! I've been battling rats for some time now. The boy and I were out today with the pellet guns shooting at them but they are pretty quick and pretty brazen to be out and about in the daylight like this. We've been trying many things to kill them. I have the traditional spring traps out now with peanut butter on them. I used the sticky ones for a while with some success but it has been gettting real cold out and they lose their stickiness. plus it seems they may be onto us with the sticky traps as I haven't caught any on them for over a month. It's been a awhile since I caught one on the spring traps but I still have them out.

Another thing I been doing is at night when the ducks and chickens are put away we leave a scratch/ rat poison mix out on the ground hoping they come and munch on it and die.

Anyone have any other ideas what I can do to reduce these nasty creatures to nothing or at least a little. I believe they are coming from the field across the RR tracks and the neighbors fields. Any other ideas?


jeremy

 

[jjthink]

Poison is indiscriminate and you may be killing unintended "innocent" victims. I would never use it. Glue traps - same problem - I wouldn't use them.

When you say battling rats, what do you mean? Are they in your coop? I once had this problem at a different coop than the one I am using now. I tried repellents then I tried hav-a-hart traps. In the end, the best solution was rat proofing the coop - then they left for greener pastures. Hardware cloth kept them out. I also made sure that all food sources were inaccessible to them at night - I keep the food in metal cans with heavy weights on top. Problem solved.

JJ

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

We use blocks of rat poison. Just be sure to place it where the other animals cant get to it. It has worked great.

 

[namreknat]

The best solution I have found to get rid of mice and rats is having cats around. I don't even like cats, but they do keep serve a purpose around our place.

 

[lurky]

I am going through the same thing. We thought we were down to just one......and then last night there were 5

We have trapped about 15 with havahart......then we found that the go into the coop at dark. We would sneak out and trap them in the coop and catch a few that way. NOW........the remaining are getting too smart for us. I am just about to resort to poison....but i am so afraid of hurting my chickens. Our rats no longer go for peanut butter either. We just got a new GAMO and then we stopped seeing them outside in the day. It seems like they have our house bugged and know our every move

 

[kuntrygirl]

I agree with namreknat. Cats are the key to any rat problem. Worked for me.

 

[chickeepoo]

I second or third that, or whatever- cats will take care of rats. We have a stray that took up residence and checks the vermin… the only thing is, DON'T use any poison baits/feed because our KittenGirl almost died after catching a poisoned rat and she didn't eat it, just bit through the skin. Also, once after I removed a dead "present" she left on the back patio, I caught the hens fighting over the remains of a second killed rat I'd missed- if it had been poisoned, they would have been, too. And we know chickens will eat ANYTHING…

 

[cherig22]

I agree with cats. Mine do not mess with the chooks, and they nail anything else. They also play with the mice, but the play day usually ends with one side quitting by dying. And it ain't the cats.

Cheri

Edited cause it read like the cats played with the chickens, lol. NOT!

 

[jubylives]

Ok well we do have a kitten but no real use there plus having an outside cat is not an option as I live in town. There is a cat in the area but his territory is too far away to do me good. As far as the sticky traps and poison is concerned, some may find this, well, not nice but as far as "innocent victims" are concerned, I'm not too concerned about my chickens or ducks being victims but I will accept collateral damage to a point. The only other possible animals around are the before mentioned cat and rabbits and maybe squirrles but the only critters entering my areas of concern are the rats.

I've been doing some reading and have found that rats do not like change and some advice includes placing traps unset for a couple days to let the rats get used to them then setting them all. I may try that after I buy a few more traps.

As for the hav a hart traps. I intend to kill these vermin. I'm an animal lover as I have many but when it comes to rats and mice, it's no holds barred. I have a deep rooted hatred for these nasty spawns and think more on eradication then mere displacement. My saying kinda says it all. The deader the better.

jeremy

 

[SarahBeth9394]

We stopped putting peanut butter on our traps because we never got them that way. So we decided to put a little piece of a french fry on it instead. We've gotten dozens over the years this way. I always have a few old fries in the fridge for when we need it.