Rats???

[Rechicked]

I have posted this previously. Hopefully traps will work for you. I had an infested coop and when I renovated the coop dozens of rats of all sizes poured out. I had noticed tunnels around the coops. The rats had nests in the ceiling and walls in the coop I renovated. I tried several different things but still had a lot of rats so I resorted to poison. I'm not advocating using poison only that it worked for me. I bought some rat bait stations and placed them where nothing but the rats could get to them. The rats weren't fond of the bait that came with the bait stations so I bought some other bait and they seemed to like it much better. I did not find any dead rats laying around and checked the bait boxes daily. There is a little window above the baits in the bait stations I bought so I could check it regularly. I think the rats went into their tunnels and died and that is why I didn't find any dead rats or critters from eating any dead rats laying around. If the bait stations are placed in places where nothing but the rats can get to there should be no problems. You can also place the bait stations in a pet carrier so only the rats can get to them. There is a partition down the middle inside the bait stations that the rats have to go around to get to the bait so they don't bring the bait out of the bait stations. Good luck with whatever you do...

I've tried the bait stations but I haven't seen any missing through the window. I'm going to try the baited cage pushed up to the holes in the run. My poor chickies have been cooped up since I noticed the holes

 

[Rechicked]

Here's an article from an older Rat post. Article- https://backyardchickenproject.com/how-to-get-rid-of-rats-in-the-chicken-coop-the-definitive-guide/

Thank you!

 

[Rechicked]

I swear, our Ontario rats are the trickiest, cleverest foe to go up against. I'd rather out-think a coyote. From my experience, I'll be honest, I was a little terrified at first due to fire risk, and of course the package saysonce there's no more smoke there's no more danger, but I didn't want to trust them on that.. The first time I was super careful, moved the chickens for a night to make sure the coop was aired out right, kept a hose handy, but it wasn't nearly as concerning once I saw them in action. With the "bomb" part actually underground the way its supposed to be, it rests on dirt and stays a good distance away from any bedding that the rats may have dry further under the coop, and the wick itself doesn't spark like a sparkler, but it does burn quite hot, so I definitely wouldn't be using them without a bucket of water at handy. What I'm trying to say, in a very long winded, round about way, is that I understand your worries completely, and without seeing your coop I can't say one way or other if the situation isn't ideal for the smoke out. Water though, if you can get enough of it, works beautifully in temps just under the 0 mark or lower. Not only does the dirt freeze solid on em, and some may just have the added bonus of freezing to death but they clear out for a bit and you can fill up the holes and sit back with a nice pellet rifle as a deterrent. Just a heads up, the problem with hardware cloth aprons that I've had is the little ba$7@rds tunnel under anyway, just now they're coming in under my limestone paths 3ft away.

ETA: I spent a fortune putting in hardware cloth 16"-18" down around the outside of my run and where I could around the coop, where I couldn't there's grass, and I have no clue why they haven't gone under that way, maybe the visibility factor, but they tunneled down from between the roots of a pine right up against the trunk, then the 3 feet to my coop, and under where the wire apron is. And up and out the other side of the coop into the run on the other side of the apron there! Next time I do battle I'm going to try pouring cement down the holes as they become visible, and then the holes they dig after that until they've got no other options but to leave and my DH is out of cement bags.

(And I just realized I brought up the water idea twice. Think my brain might be a bit soft still from the Holidays! )

Thanks for sharing your trials. You saved me time and money on burying the wire apron. Looks like I'm going to be investing in some bags of quick-post cement. If my rats are as determined as yours are, if nothing else, I will eventually end up with a nice cement footing under my coop!

 

[Rechicked]

And if rats can get there, so can weasels!
We had rats invade our coop a few years ago, and they ate eggs, and killed three nice bantam pullets, before we got them out. They can chew through wood really well too, so don't assume your wooden floor will keep them out.
We never caught one in any of the traps we set. If you do get one or two in a trap, the others will have learned to avoid that trap.
You might have to resort to poison, sorry.
Mary

I am willing to try anything right now. -Poison included

 

[LateBirdFarms]

Anything to save you the same fury and frustration I felt after going through so much trouble! I've never had any luck with poison either, if it makes you feel any better. My ladies will happily kill a young rat that crosses through their run, and the young ones are the only ones that haven't caught on to steering clear...Which really is an awe inspiring Jurassic Park kind of scene once they all get in on it!

 

[cmom]

I resorted to poison after trying many other things and still seeing rats. If the rats don't like the bait try some other kind. I did and they seemed to like the last bait I bought. I think it has peanuts or peanut better in it. The rats seem to like it. I haven't seen anymore rats for quite awhile and the baits haven't been touched.

 

[Folly's place]

It's often necessary to change the bait every so often, at least every couple of weeks. And maybe move the bait stations slightly too.
Rats are very smart!
Mary

 

[Howard E]

To the OP, can you provide photographs of your chicken feed setup? To get rid of your rats, you need to start there.

 

[WindingRoad]

I swear, our Ontario rats are the trickiest, cleverest foe to go up against. I'd rather out-think a coyote. From my experience, I'll be honest, I was a little terrified at first due to fire risk, and of course the package saysonce there's no more smoke there's no more danger, but I didn't want to trust them on that.. The first time I was super careful, moved the chickens for a night to make sure the coop was aired out right, kept a hose handy, but it wasn't nearly as concerning once I saw them in action. With the "bomb" part actually underground the way its supposed to be, it rests on dirt and stays a good distance away from any bedding that the rats may have dry further under the coop, and the wick itself doesn't spark like a sparkler, but it does burn quite hot, so I definitely wouldn't be using them without a bucket of water at handy. What I'm trying to say, in a very long winded, round about way, is that I understand your worries completely, and without seeing your coop I can't say one way or other if the situation isn't ideal for the smoke out. Water though, if you can get enough of it, works beautifully in temps just under the 0 mark or lower. Not only does the dirt freeze solid on em, and some may just have the added bonus of freezing to death but they clear out for a bit and you can fill up the holes and sit back with a nice pellet rifle as a deterrent. Just a heads up, the problem with hardware cloth aprons that I've had is the little ba$7@rds tunnel under anyway, just now they're coming in under my limestone paths 3ft away.

ETA: I spent a fortune putting in hardware cloth 16"-18" down around the outside of my run and where I could around the coop, where I couldn't there's grass, and I have no clue why they haven't gone under that way, maybe the visibility factor, but they tunneled down from between the roots of a pine right up against the trunk, then the 3 feet to my coop, and under where the wire apron is. And up and out the other side of the coop into the run on the other side of the apron there! Next time I do battle I'm going to try pouring cement down the holes as they become visible, and then the holes they dig after that until they've got no other options but to leave and my DH is out of cement bags.

(And I just realized I brought up the water idea twice. Think my brain might be a bit soft still from the Holidays! )

For every hole you fill they will dig two. They will dig right beside the hole you've just filled. They only solution is to eradicate them as in Killing them. They won't take many baits now-a-days because they have either become wise to them or immune to poison. In the spring I am gonna get the birth control stuff. You can google it. That's what the big cities are using. Males eat it and become sterile and females (supposedly) go into menopause. At least that will keep the population down.

 

[Howard E]

In a chicken setup, the only reason rats are there is for the food. So the easier method is to starve them out. Just saying.