Sick of rats!

[Johnn]

A week or two ago i saw a rta at my hens i think it was pregnant because it was fat and i got some rat poison the toher day and out it down and i think it killed her but befofe she died she had a had her babys and today a baby rat ran out when i was there and was running round eating all the hens food and coming right up to me, and rats are my worst fear, i was really scared and saying to my Jack russell get it and he ran way!

 

[Ibicella]

If you did kill a recently pregnant rat, the babies would have died as well since rats won't typically adopt another doe's kittens (yes, baby rats are called kittens, ironically enough!). Rats live in colonies. So the old addage of "If you see one, there are many more" is often a truism. You're probably seeing another rat that is not related to the first. At night, all the rats will leave the nest to forage for food.

To get rid of them, you need to keep things VERY clean. Pick up any garbage cans and piles, compost heaps, woodpiles, or other nest spaces.

Make sure all feed and grain is kept swept up and locked up tight in galvanized garbage cans.

Make sure to take up all water and food sources at night in the coop and only put it out during the day.

Keep things scrubbed. They are nearly blind and rely on urine trails to send messages to each other about where to find food, where there is danger, where there is water, and so on. If you keep things scrubbed, they lose their way.

Look for burrows and fill them.

Look for entry points into the coop. Rats can fit through spaces the size of a quarter and it's very easy to miss these tiny little holes. Build them out by keeping these points repaired.

Most of all, don't be scared! Rats are pretty harmless if you follow the above steps. It's a pain in the butt and a lot of work, but it's pretty easy to control them.

 

[Mattemma]

Awww babies are so cute. I am a sucker for any baby,but you are right not to want them contaminating the hen area. I would get rid of them too.Ewww urine trails.Do all rodents use that for travel?

 

[Johnn]

I wouldnt be too bothered about them being ther if they didnt eat eggs and wernt so dirty and carrying stuff, all that stuff will be hard because there is a stream right next to the shed, and i saw a rat go down the hole and i was oging to put poison down but there was water in it which goes out into a dam for the hens and the chemicals would have been in the water so i put some poison under a crate were a old rats nest is, and i dont lock the hens in because i cant get there till afternoons so it isnt fair on them to have to sit and wait, the only problems im getting (so far) is they ate my rubber eggs! and im scared of them and they come running round me

 

[Ibicella]

Awww babies are so cute. I am a sucker for any baby,but you are right not to want them contaminating the hen area. I would get rid of them too.Ewww urine trails.Do all rodents use that for travel?

Yes, rats and mice both use "pee-mail" to communicate with each other.

 

[Johnn]

Today 3 different rats cam out of the whole but luckily they all ran into to 3 different places and all the places they ran the rat poison was there, then when i went i realised i forgot the eggs so i went back and there was a rat sitting eating some hen food and my chicken sat and watched it then she dived and pecked it and it ran away

 

[Johnn]

Found a dead rat today, feel so bad :/

 

[Miss Lydia]

Found a dead rat today, feel so bad :/

We had to put out a rat trap and after 3 days caught one, I hate to kill anything but I was so worried about it getting into the coop. I know there are more but again if they get into the coop they can cause alot of problems.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:

 

[AlvinsFinest]

If you plant mint around your chicken coop it will keep rats and mice out because there nose is so sensitive! But be sure to plant it in a pot if not it will
Grow like wild fire everywhere! Just grow a few around your chicken coop and you can put a few leaves in the coop makes it smell good and keeps rodents out! Very easy and inexpensive way to keep them out!