Rats

[cdbutler70]

GM Everyone:

Just wanted to know what everyone does about rats eating your chicken feed. I got up the other night and went out and checked on my chickens and noticed a rat running out of the coop. I am sure they are eating feed that is left over. I am trying to feed when I get home from work around 3p and take the feed away till the next morning and see if that will help.

Since we are all know how high feeds are we can't feed rats too..lol

I read on the net to put moth balls outside of the coop and it would help. I dont want to poison the rats because I have a yard dog and he might find the poison first.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[azygous]

Moth balls are also poisonous. I've had only mixed success using them to discourage rodents, and then it's only effective in an enclosed space, where they are nesting. You need to enclose the moth balls in a mesh bag so they aren't able to somehow disperse where chickens can get them.

I've employed every rodent trap known to modern civilization. The little varmints quickly catch on to most of them and avoid them. The one trap that has achieved any measure of success is the bucket roller trap. You can now buy them ready made. I made my own from odds and ends I had on hand.

Here are some great bucket traps. https://stoppestinfo.com/50-homemade-rat-trap.html

 

[Howard E]

OP:

If you are seeing rats, you have a bigger problem than just the feed.....although that is a big part of it.

Since you are new here.......please be advised there have been at least 2 or 3 threads on rats here in just the past few weeks alone.....threads that have covered your exact question in great detail.

Take a few moments to peruse this predator thread for topics on rats and likely you will find the answers you are looking for.......but after that, if you still have questions, please free to ask them. Either on this thread or one of those.

 

[cmom]

Many, especially chicken and livestock owners have had to deal with rats. I agree with @Howard E. Good luck and have fun...

 

[HomesteaderWife]

I mentioned in a recent thread that rats have been a problem for us too at one point. If you have feed bags- put them in a trash can with a lid. They also get into bird feeders and bird seed- found a rat nest with literally about two quarts of bird seed stashed. They also get into heirloom seed packets, corn cobs, you name it. Don't put out poison in case chickens/dogs get ahold of it or those rats found dead. Glue traps will NOT hold rats. We had some out for mice (had to nail to a board because mice could drag). The rat took the trap with a mouse on it after ripping it off the board back to its den. They also like loose paper/bags/cardboard/string/twine/cloth/and even feathers. I've had them destroy my art projects by chewing off feathers and twine.

Our solution is finding them and turning the Heeler loose on them and she's been effective. We had one so big at one point we took a .22 to it. Try to pick up loose material, store seed/feed in containers.

 

[cmom]

This coop was infested with rats until I renovated it. There were rat nests in the wall we put around the bottom of the coop. Live and learn. It was our first coop.

 

[Sara Ranch]

I use fermented feed. The chickens gobble it up right away and lick the bowl clean. I don't do dry feed at all.

Waters are turned upside down (so there's no access to water) or they are brought inside the house for the night.

I rake the animal pastures. I try to keep it as clean as possible. I cut down weeds, remove branches when they fall, walk the area several times a day...

I use sand in the coops and most of the time in the nesting boxes. Rodents don't make nests in the sand.

The poop is taken pretty far away and disposed off.

Rats tend to live within 10 feet of their food.

Mice tend to live within 5 feet of their food.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Head over to the Feeding and Watering Your Flock forum on BYC.com or just do a general forum search for rats and chickens, like Howard E. said, this topic has been beaten to death yet people still tend to refuse to fix the base issues, bad chicken feed storage and bad chicken feeders. It is so simple, an unnatural habitat with unlimited food breeds large rat and mice colonies. Like the post above states, rodents live close to their food to avoid being caught by predators while foraging.

Get rid of the chicken feed buffet you are generously providing and watch the rodents go elsewhere and take the other predators with them before they start killing your birds too.