rats

[Gazinga]

has anyone noticed rats being a very big problem around the coop? any tips on cotroling them if so?

 

[Miltonchix]

My Ruger 10-22 works quite well. Traps work too. Take away their food source.

 

[jhc]

I had a rat epedemic in and around my coup. You've got to first remove the rat's food and water supply. Then began setting traps. That help some but ultimately had to use poison because they had overtaken the area. I had set up a video cam in the coup and what I saw come out after dark was overwhelming. Rats were having a party underneath the roosting chickens. Been rat free for two years and hope it stays that way!

 

[catchick]

Quote:
We have a ton of mice. But I was worry about using poison because the chickens eat the mice if they catch one.

Did you have to remove you chickens first?


catchick

 

[Curlita]

We had rats before the chickens, due to the bird seed I put out for our wild feathered friends. When we got the chickens, we put out traps, but after one rat got caught the rest were too smart. And my husband got sloppy about baiting the traps and setting them. I got four bait stations and some poison and have been horrified at how quickly they are going through the poison. There must have been more of them than I realized. I found the bait stations on eBay. It seems to be an ongoing battle, from what I've read.