Rats

[jessica wedda14]

I need some help, before I even got my chickens(Liz , jessy , and Daniel ) we had lots of rats. I did what I could but with nothing to lose I didn't do much a few live traps some air rifle shootings. Now the rats are crazy for the chicken feed, there numbers have also multiplied has anyone ever had an incident were there birds have been attacked?
I'm starting to get worried shall we go to war?

 

[iwiw60]

Sounds like it's WAR for sure. Good Lord, you've got that many? Are they true 'rats' or are they barn mice?

Here's a very good BYC page on the very subject:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/rat-chicken-pests-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-rats

 

[jessica wedda14]

Both rats and mice I'll check out the link you posted

 

[subhanalah]

Snake poop. Perhaps you can buy some bobcat pee. I've heard that works and don't you need to buy egg cartons anyway?

 

[RonP]

Posted to another query:

My understanding is that rats are everywhere.
They will congregate and breed where there is available food water, and shelter.
Look closely around any fast food restaurant and you will see rat bait stations.

They will eventually come, the idea is to prevent them from establishing a colony.
If you see 1, there are probably fifty.
If you see two or more holes, expect dozens.

Keeping a rat trap/bait station baited 24/7 hopefully keeps the population from establishing near your food source. Once established, they are very difficult to eliminate.

Remember, chickens don't attract rats, food does.

That said, I fabricated black 6 inch circular x 18" long drainage plastic pipe as a bait station.
Placed along the outside of my coop, looks like drainage pipe (not unsightly).
I put a t fitting in the center, capped, for easy viewing once a week.
Inside I maintain commercial rat poison.

My run has food scraps 24/7.
My coop has food access 24/7.
Water access 24/7.

5 years, no sign of rats...

Hope this helps.

 

[ZamundaFarm]

New to BYC, and appreciated the info you posted about rats. We are fearful of rats, because we are building the coop right under our deck, so I will be aware of where we put the food and make sure its under lock and key.

 

[CHICKLOVER69]

Posted to another query:

My understanding is that rats are everywhere.
They will congregate and breed where there is available food water, and shelter.
Look closely around any fast food restaurant and you will see rat bait stations.

They will eventually come, the idea is to prevent them from establishing a colony.
If you see 1, there are probably fifty.
If you see two or more holes, expect dozens.

Keeping a rat trap/bait station baited 24/7 hopefully keeps the population from establishing near your food source. Once established, they are very difficult to eliminate.

Remember, chickens don't attract rats, food does.

That said, I fabricated black 6 inch circular x 18" long drainage plastic pipe as a bait station.
Placed along the outside of my coop, looks like drainage pipe (not unsightly).
I put a t fitting in the center, capped, for easy viewing once a week.
Inside I maintain commercial rat poison.

My run has food scraps 24/7.
My coop has food access 24/7.
Water access 24/7.

5 years, no sign of rats...

Hope this helps.

COOL IDEA. WILL DEFINETLEY BE DOING THAT