I second this! I have it as well and it’s been a lifesaver.
I had rats coming up in the run area. I used a 5gallon container put food and poison in container, covered and weighed container down with bricks. Did this to the other holes I found around. Check the next day all food/poison gone. (rats had also moved into the nearby shed.) Then they also get into the house) It's like every 5 years rats show up. In the shed, in the house, etc. The coop and around the run I have hard wire. Food is off the ground (but that doesn't stop them).I know there are several posts about rats .. I've been giving myself anxiety reading them all and need some solid advice!!!! New chicken mom. Made several mistakes along the way but I'm learning along the way.. first mistake was a prefab coop from Tractor Supply .. I am working with what I have .. I built a larger run myself (very inexperienced carpentry skills but I managed) I did a galvinized wire mesh skirt a foot out around my entire run/coop area. I found out I have a rat(s) coming into the run at night. I assume I have had signs of them along the way but silly & stupid me didnt realize. They are digging from under my backyard fence before the wire skirt down and into the run!!! I caught one eating from the feeder. And as I read I do not have a rat I have RATS!
I am now taking the food in at night. Should I always have to continue to do this? It normally is on a hanger. I keep my stock of feed inside my house.
My plan is to put the galvinized wire mesh down on the whole floor of run and bury it with dirt. I was hesitant to do this at first with the fear it would hurt one of them. Is this a good idea?
My neighborhood zoning is wacky so I have a car garage behind my house... with garbage and used car parts behind our backyard fence. So I assume the rats have a great home in the junkyard.
We wont be able to move to my dream home/area for at least a few years so am I inevitably always going to have this rodent issue?
My prefab coop (knock on wood) shows no signs the rats are getting into the coop. It is raised up off ground and I have an automatic door I installed. I see no chew marks or rat poop anywhere. Just the hole(s) where it came into run and the 1 or 2 I've spotted from my back window with the flashlight.
I have severe anxiety about this... Should I buy rat traps/snapper ones? I'd hate to use poison bc of chickens and wildlife (even though I dont want rats near me or my house and chickens I feel bad killing them! or the hawks and owls that eat them) Do the plug in rodent deterrent things work? Do natural plant based remedies work like mint?
Thanks everyone!
PS posted a photo of my coop/run area if it will help.. please no negative comments .. as I said I am all new to this and learning as I go (I know the coop should be larger (I have some ideas but for now I just added perches inside) .. one day I'll have my dream coop & run! For reference I have 7 chickens (2 of which are bantams) (1 is a cockerel) .. about 20 weeks old & just started laying.. they free range in my yard anywhere from 2-6 hours a day.
Hi, yes wire works, I did dig down a foot and laid the wire. Tied all edges to make sure there were no gaps then put the soil back, it’s been 4 months, there is some evidence of rats ‘trying ‘ to get into the pen now that colder weather is on its way but our movement activated camera shows no rats inside the pen !!!!!!I know there are several posts about rats .. I've been giving myself anxiety reading them all and need some solid advice!!!! New chicken mom. Made several mistakes along the way but I'm learning along the way.. first mistake was a prefab coop from Tractor Supply .. I am working with what I have .. I built a larger run myself (very inexperienced carpentry skills but I managed) I did a galvinized wire mesh skirt a foot out around my entire run/coop area. I found out I have a rat(s) coming into the run at night. I assume I have had signs of them along the way but silly & stupid me didnt realize. They are digging from under my backyard fence before the wire skirt down and into the run!!! I caught one eating from the feeder. And as I read I do not have a rat I have RATS!
I am now taking the food in at night. Should I always have to continue to do this? It normally is on a hanger. I keep my stock of feed inside my house.
My plan is to put the galvinized wire mesh down on the whole floor of run and bury it with dirt. I was hesitant to do this at first with the fear it would hurt one of them. Is this a good idea?
My neighborhood zoning is wacky so I have a car garage behind my house
My prefab coop (knock on wood) shows no signs the rats are getting into the coop. It is raised up off ground and I have an automatic door I installed. I see no chew marks or rat poop anywhere. Just the hole(s) where it came into run and the 1 or 2 I've spotted from my back window with the flashlight.
I have severe anxiety about this... Should I buy rat traps/snapper ones? I'd hate to use poison bc of chickens and wildlife (even though I dont want rats near me or my house and chickens I feel bad killing them! or the hawks and owls that eat them) Do the plug in rodent deterrent things work? Do natural plant based remedies work like mint?
Thanks everyone!
PS posted a photo of my coop/run area if it will help.. please no negative comments .. as I said I am all new to this and learning as I go (I know the coop should be larger (I have some ideas but for now I just added perches inside) .. one day I'll have my dream coop & run! For reference I have 7 chickens (2 of which are bantams) (1 is a cockerel) .. about 20 weeks old & just started laying.. they free range in my yard anywhere from 2-6 hours a day.
I use this also. It works great. We caught 16 the first night and 10 the second night. We removed the chicken food from the coop and baited the trap with the same food. Worked great.
