what is digging under my run & eating the food

[Debi214]

I have what I suspect is an opossum digging and getting into the runs to eat the chicken feed. It must not be very large because the holes are only about 4 inches deep. Whatever it has not touched my birds. Any ideas on what this creature is? I started putting out scraps outside of the runs to deter it which has helped - it is loving the leftovers! I plan on extending the chicken wire into the ground around 12" like suggested but haven't had the chance for the last 2 weeks.

 

[countrygirl_247]

It very well could be a rat

 

[chookchick]

You probably have rats. The first think you need to do is start taking the food out of the run at night. If there is nothing in there to go after then they will probably stay out. Make sure your coop is rat-proof as they can injure the chickens and eggs. Don't feed them as you are only encouraging them to hang around and multiply. Skirting will help, but not much, for rats. If you decide to poison or trap, just be very careful that your chickens can't get into it. Rats are almost always around, we just have to not encourage them to hang out by providing them with easy meals.

 

[Debi214]

I never even thought about rats! I am going to take the food out of the run and keep them closed up at night until I figure out a better plan. Wow they must be big rats to need to dig such big holes to fit under.

 

[Alley]

My coop is a foot off the ground with a heavy wire bottom and a 3 inch thick rubber matt on top of the wire. The rats dig under the coop but can't get to my girls. No matter what I do, they dig under the coop. The only time it doesn't is if I put the coop on the cement patio. I'm going to have to set traps as my yard now has tons of holes. Has anyone ever been succesful getting rid of them without using traps?

 

[Debi214]

We have to find out - because I hate rats! I don't want to use poison or traps either. I never thought that rats lived in woods. I do have a field but there is no cover there since it is winter. Ugh! Could they be coming from a neighbors house???

 

[MissJames]

Quote:
They are everywhere! And there's never just one. You can get a live trap.

 

[Debi214]

Where would I take them after I catch them in live traps? Do you have to drive far?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Why drive when you could drown/ shoot w/ a BB gun?

 

[Alley]

okay... dumb question but... you have the rat in the live trap. To let them go... you just open the door and they run out or what? I mean how does that work?