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.
This post gives me more determination to step up my efforts!!!!! Damn rats. 
