My barn cats have never done mature rats; they are my problem! Only poison works, IMO. And you need to change it out after a couple of weeks, to get survivors. BE VERY CAREFUL with the types and positioning of bait, so only the targeted rats and mice are killed.
There's always the 'rat terrier' approach, if you really want one, and can then keep your chickens safe from the dog.
Mary
There's always the 'rat terrier' approach, if you really want one, and can then keep your chickens safe from the dog.
Mary