Rats!!!

[purpletree23]

EEEEEWWWWWWW!

 

[Urban Chick]

Oh my - I am so with you on the squirrels. I now have a rat around my coop (that my neighbor discovered while we were on vacation - how embarassing). I saw the rat peeking out from under my rain barrel. Then it just walked out like I wasn't there. I am an animal lover but I think I'm going the snap trap way. And - yes - why are squirrels acceptable? The are nasty rodents who make a really creepy noise. Be gone squirrels!

 

[Chick37]

Get cats! I have found that is the only way to get rid of them for good. Poison works the best, but they will most likely be back in a few months.
We had an ongoing rat problem in our barn. I picked up a few barn cats, and I haven't seen a rat in years. It's not only that the cats will kill them at first, but the rats will stay away from an area that smells like cats.

 

[needadietcoke]

Eew. I have never actually seen a rat, but I have an awesome cat. Now I am worried. . .

 

[ChickendeVille]

I dealt with a small rat in my coop this last winter, it almost ran over my foot while I was hanging out with the "girls". It took me a couple of second to realize what just happened and then I screamed really loud!
The steps I took to not have him/her come back were as follows:
- Move the feed outside (I had read it was better to keep it outside and now I know why). And remove it at night.
- added cayene pepper to the feed (not harmful to the hens but apparently rats don't like hot stuff)
- sprinkled peppermint oil on cotton balls and displayed it around the coop and the outside of the coop.
So far, he/she is gone and it has been a couple of months already.
I did not want to use any poison due to other animals around the yard but did not want an unwanted guest in the coop with possible more in the future.
Of course, if you are dealing with a colony then I am sure my methods above would not work as nicely.