- Mar 1, 2012
- 7
- 1
- 9
Hello all! Ready for all the advice you can share! Thanks in advance! I have 6 fourteen week old hens that have more than happy in a coop we spent a great deal of effort working on, I did all my research, dug several inches down and placed sheet metal down around my coop to keep predators out. I guess we did not do enough, I have two larges holes daily in my coop that rats, possibly other rodents have dug under the sheet metal and eating my girls food! I have tried traps, and had no luck, I am hesitant to try poison because I have a lab that enjoys roaming the yard & although is pretty smart & I wouldn't think would mess with it, I am too afraid to take the risk. Recently, I have thought about evacuating the chickens for a week or so & bombing the food pail with poison & taking their source of feed away? My only concern is would it be safe to then move the girls back into the coop if this worked? The hens are getting close to laying age & would really like to fix this issue so I don't lose eggs or have to fear rats in the nest boxes when checking them. I have also read just tonight about putting peppermint oil around, is this safe for chickens??? Someone else also mentioned steel wool & I had no luck! HELLLLLLPPPPP! Please share any ideas to try, I am willing!