ATTACK OF THE RATS (Graphic Photo Warning)

[Lauramay1980]

Get a 5 gallon bucket . fill it half full with water. The rats fall in can't get out and drown.
I hate hate hate hate hate rats. My hen was laying in eggs and a rat ate them.
Also if you dont have one get a barn cat

 

[xcalibor67]

Never had rats, but I would poison them, too. I assume you moved the pullets?

May i suggest using only live or lethal traps. If you intend on exterminating the rats, please do so without the use of "Poison", it eliminates the chance of other animals being hurt/killed by the poison, including owls. I have never been fond of Poisoning anything. Large rat traps with either fatback(raw) or peanut butter works great..

 

[Lazy Farmer]

No not likely.
At least not a full grown rat.

These were big farm rats. They scatted when we flipped on the light just like a pack of roaches.
We are trying our best to control them. We are way out in the rural country. The surrounding farmers I speak to are having to deal with it as well. One guy told me if I hear a blast go off at 2am, it's just his sawed off 12 gauge spraying buck shot taking out 10 at a time.
All the rain, and all the grain, the rat situation is truly insane!

 

[Lauramay1980]

Trust me the bucket method works!!! We used to have pigs and its what we did.

 

[kwhites634]

I'v seen rats in my run, both live & on trail cam. They'll come out in broad daylight & scurry through the middle of however many birds happen to be there at the time, pull themselves (or jump) up to the feed chute for a couple mouthfuls, and retreat to the burrow, only to return a minute or so later. They don't bother the birds; birds don't bother them. Never filmed any at night; feed chute's capped off at night.

I set chunks of Farnham's Just One Bite in a bucket laying on its side to keep the weather off; a coon kept making off with the bait. I built a trap with the coat hanger wire and plastic water bottle smeared with peanut butter over a 5 gal bucket of water; nothing.
Finally, I set chunks of bait deep enough into the burrow entrance/exit that the birds couldn't reach them. Started seeing fewer rats, but they were till around. One day I set up more or less out of sight outside the run with a loaded double barrel 12 ga., determined to get at least one. Didn't have to wait long 'til one came out & gave me a clear shot. It was at the entrance, and I left it there, covering it with dirt to again protect the birds.

I haven't seen a rat since, or any new burrows, although I'm sure they're still around, but I seem to have won the first skirmish.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Trust me the bucket method works!!! We used to have pigs and its what we did.

Here is a link to my buckets. They are safe for other animals with the particular bait I use.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/homemade-v-s-store-bought.1180448/page-2
I have 15 at the moment. I have to refill them in less than 3 days. Also 5 live traps. I catch a min of 1 per night.
I am fighting the good fight. They are aware I care but they still dare!

 

[animals1981]

will any chicken breeds or birds attack rats?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Trust me the bucket method works!!! We used to have pigs and its what we did.

The rats gave us the finger while they cleared the peanut butter off the spiny can for the bucket.

I thought I saw blood on a juveniles' leg that's in quarantine, and suspected a rat... but didn't expect it to be a reality!

I have the electronic rat trap. Caught 4 so far. Took it out of commission to loan out my extension cord. Maybe not having it constantly will help keep them from outsmarting it too fast. But I have a feeling I need to go all out and set a bunch of snap traps like they do in cartoons.

Connie, so sorry for your loss. I can only imagine how frustrated you are! This post gives me more determination to step up my efforts!!!!! Damn rats.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Trust me the bucket method works!!! We used to have pigs and its what we did.

We raise a lot of heritage pigs! That's part of the equation. The rodents are raiding the trofts and stock piling the conventional grain.

 

[Lauramay1980]

Where there are pigs there will be rats....it's inevitable. Barn cats buckets and deadly traps is what needs to be done. You will always have rats but if you do all three of these you will see less and less rats