RATS!?!?

[Cityducky]

My new coop was just built, but the space between the roofing and wood frame meet isn’t enclosed yet, but the only thing that could possibly get in is rats and they are in!!!! I walked out there to check on them and 5 rats scurried out of the coop!!! My question is are rats bad for ducks? Will my ducks not care about rats eating their food in the middle of the night. They are only 5ish week old Pekins. Any advice you can give will be appreciated! Thanks in advance! (This might not be clear but they are out in the coop tonight)

 

[sourland]

Rats are not beyond trying to kill small fowl, and their feces frequently carry Salmonella. If it were me, I would try to eliminate them.

 

[CoriM]

You should definitely rat-proof your duck area!

 

[RiverOtter]

The rats might actually kill your ducklings. If you ever find one dead with a hold in it's side, rats. Small ones may just vanish. They will crack eggs and can kill broodies.

They also carry several diseases. Leptospirosis is nothing to mess with.

 

[DuckyDonna]

If rats can get in so can other undesirables. That's why God invented hardware cloth!

 

[Isaac 0]

I would by all mean get those rats out of the coop asap.

 

[cymbaline]

If rats can get in so can other undesirables. That's why God invented hardware cloth!

THIS. I'm pretty sure the burrows the rats made underground into my pen are how a mink got inside.Even if they themselves aren't hurting them, they still may be the reason your ducks get hurt/killed.

 

[Ratchnick]

Plus they will double your feed bill!