rats

[joesmania]

Deleted by me

 

[Humboldter]

We live in rural northern CA and have been dealing with rats for about a year. They've dug a system of tunnels under our hen house and coop. We laid hardware cloth on hen house floor and over ground in the coop area. Also put feeders away at night in metal garbage can. About once a month I will put traps out and get a rat or two, but they've wised-up to the traps lately. This past weekend we flooded their tunnel system with a hose and killed 3 rats as they emerged, several others escaped. It's an on-going battle.

 

[chickgrrl]

Oh my gosh - help. We live in an urban area and I moved my girls in for the winter. They haven't had eggs in a few days. I was cleaning cat litter and the chicken pen in the garage (don't worry - the cats cant get to the hens) and when I opened my garage door there was quite a bit of rat droppings under the door. It must have been done inside the garage rather than outside the garage.

I cant use the poisons because of the animals. Do any of the kill traps work? I cant have rats getting into the house.

 

[joesmania]

deleted by me

 

[MimiChick]

I just read that mice won't come near peppermint. Anyone else heard of this? I assume it will work with rats too? I'm going to crush up peppermints or perhaps get peppermint oil and put around the chicken feed, etc. ????

Yes, it works for rats too. We had a problem with rats a few years ago. I planted peppermint all around the coop and haven't seen a rat, or a mouse, since. And they don't even seem to be digging underneath like they were before either. Probably becauese the roots have that mint scent too. Just be aware that mint spreads like crazy and can get invasive.

Good luck.

 

[missy5]

Can you plant it in the run? (mint) Is it ok for the chickens and ducks?

 

[pawprint2104]

With my girls, NOTHING is invasive. EVERYTHING is food! I'll try mint, but I don't think it'll last.

Joe, perfectly stated. Thank you. Something about the chicken pellets in the bait really brings the denizen to the source.

 

[chickgrrl]

Joe - thankyou SO much for your suggestions. We've had tons of mice but never a rat and I'm pretty stressed out. Just in time I actually found a farmer who wants to rent a small space to me to put my chickens - and you know what that means - GETTING MORE CHICKENS (haha - you thought I was going to say no rats) At least my husband wont kill me and my chicken obsession.

Now off to find some rat traps.