Will Hardware Cloth Help?

[drdoolittle]

I am having a serious rat problem. I believe it's because the coops I have are all three on dirt floors. I'm planning on getting some hardware cloth and putting it on the floors and also up the sides where the wire is big enough for a rat to get through. Will this be enough to keep them out? I've been using poison---very safely, of course, but it's almost like they figured out that it kills them and won't touch it now. I am just so sick of these disgusting things!

 

[kareninthesun]

rats are smart. Might slow them down, but they are stuborn, if they know that what they want is inside, they'll keep trying until they find that weak spot. I purchased the metal tents that you put batteries in and bait with peanut butter. Works soooooo well. You have to be careful not to touch the peanut butter or inside the unit with your skin, they are naturally suspicious and will avoid it. I use a plastic straw to scoop peanut butter out. Bought three of them, and takes care of the job nicely.

 

[drdoolittle]

Where did you buy them, and what are they, a trap?

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Remove their food source 1st. Spilled food etc.

Hardware cloth could help but in the end, killing them is the only answer. Once method will not get them all...poison, traps and securing the coop will all be needed.

A few years back, at our old home, a local bar a few doors down closed up. Within a week we had rats. Within a few weeks we had hoards of rats! It was an all out war. Traps, poison, cleaning up an area they might hide out and even carrying my pistol and shooting them as I saw them! Ive also had friends who got such an infestation we literally burned down their coop or shed and started over!

 

[drdoolittle]

Yes, I am putting the hardware cloth in, and going to order a rat zapper and get different poison. I put poison and sweet feed in some big buckets with lids that I cut holes in, plus removed the feed at night, and they haven't touched one piece of poison-----it's been out for 2 or 3 nights. I am getting so frustrated that I am even thinking of getting rid of all my chickens.