Rats

[maryellen21]

I have trapped three rats so far. Poison is out in four places but they aren't taking the bait. I am going to get different bait
I take the food up at dusk and they cant get it, so now they come out during the day when the food is on the yard as i moved the food feeders. What else can i do? I have traps and poison out and its not working. I have a feeling they came down the hill from my neighbors barn as they have a farm . I never had rats before , since getting the chickens i have rats. What else can i do besides not put chicken food out at all? They have a big yard but i dont want to starve the hens

 

[Redgolden1]

I would be very careful using poison around your chickens I would think that will work its way into your chickens and then your eggs try using a 5 gallon bucket with 6 inches of water in it put a ramp up to the lip of the bucket such as a 2 x 4 then put peanut butter and some seed or bait on a small piece of styrofoam and place in the bucket ! So now you will see where the saying drowned rat came from !

 

[maryellen21]

I am not happy with using poison trust me due to i dont want the chickens eating it. The rats are very smart and wont go in the traps... I am going to get the jaw traps to try as well. Hmmm I'll have to try the bucket idea- does it really work?

 

[Redgolden1]

Yes it is the cheapest and safest way to get rid of rodents ! Be careful using the jaw traps you may catch a chicken

 

[CrazyTalk]

I doubt the rats are too smart to go in the traps.

When I was clearing out our barn, I was able to catch rats without even bating some of the traps - you just need to find the places they use to travel - usually along walls, etc. Properly placing the traps makes all the difference - you can't just set them anywhere.

 

[maryellen21]

All the traps are against walls , inside shed . Outside shed outside pen area and inside pen area all along walls. I dont have any traps in open spaces they are all lined up against walls where i have seen them run. We caught 2 in the garbage can as a fluke

 

[matt44644]

Is your shed on a wood framed platform on the ground.

 

[Naser]

Google Wright Feeder or Treadle feeder. that what works for me. as long as they can get food, rats will keep coming.
I found Wright feeder cheap and effective, just be sure the bucket is made from tough plastic or steel so rats can't chew through it.

 

[maryellen21]

Yes shed is on wood floor then dirt it was here when we bought the house.
I am going to look into other feeders too as well.

 

[maryellen21]

The coop is 3 ft off ground next to side of shed as a windbreaker due to the high winds we have here in the winter (gale force winds) the shed breaks the wind for the coop. We didn't put the hardwire cloth on ground when building coop and pen which is our fault as that would have prevented rats from burrowing into pen area