Hen Stuck in Rat Trap Glue

[cwaterbury]

One of my hens managed to get a rat glue tray stuck to herself. We were able to peel it off, trim a bunch of feathers, and wash her feet and head with warm water and Dawn dish soap. We did the best we could, but results were mediocre. Is there a better way to remove this very sticky glue without trimming feathers and getting it off completely?

 

[azygous]

Cooking oil. Put it on the feathers and let it soak into the adhesive for a few minutes. Then massage it into the feathers until the glue loosens. Then take a wash cloth and wipe the mess off.

Repeat as necessary until you've gotten most of it off. It has probably occurred to you that the trap needs to be placed in a place inaccessible to chickens.

 

[cwaterbury]

Cooking oil. Put it on the feathers and let it soak into the adhesive for a few minutes. Then massage it into the feathers until the glue loosens. Then take a wash cloth and wipe the mess off.

Repeat as necessary until you've gotten most of it off. It has probably occurred to you that the trap needs to be placed in a place inaccessible to chickens.

Thank you for the advice, azygous. I will try the oil if it ever happens again. The trap was placed in the rafters of the coop, but when a rat got stuck to it, it fell off. So, not only did we have a glue tray stuck to a hen, we also had a dead, sticky rat on our hands. Fun afternoon here at our house! Yes, it was a lesson learned and we will no longer place it in the coop at all.

 

[DiYMama540]

I was going to suggest oil of some sort also...vegetable, olive, coconut, anything should work.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you for the advice, azygous. I will try the oil if it ever happens again. The trap was placed in the rafters of the coop, but when a rat got stuck to it, it fell off. So, not only did we have a glue tray stuck to a hen, we also had a dead, sticky rat on our hands. Fun afternoon here at our house! Yes, it was a lesson learned and we will no longer place it in the coop at all.

You still can put them in the coop.
Just have to have a way to let rats to them and keep chickens off them.
Making a wire cage out of 2x4 welded wire will let rats in and keep birds out.
A wooden box with a rat sized opening works too.

I agree with cooking oil as a glue remover by the way.

Edited to be very clear.....COOKING oil NOT motor oil or oil containing petroleum distillates.

 

[azygous]

Don't you wish it was possible to know all the ways something that seems so simple and fool proof can go wrong before you have to discover it the hard way? At least no one died. Well, except the rat.

Sometimes consequences just aren't obvious until after the damage is done. One time early in my chicken keeping, I had a can of wasp spray sitting outside next to the coop. A rooster was outside and somehow jumped on the can and it went off on a hen under the coop, hitting her right in the face, killing her. Who would have ever thought of such a freaky thing even being possible?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Don't you wish it was possible to know all the ways something that seems so simple and fool proof can go wrong before you have to discover it the hard way? At least no one died. Well, except the rat.

Sometimes consequences just aren't obvious until after the damage is done. One time early in my chicken keeping, I had a can of wasp spray sitting outside next to the coop. A rooster was outside and somehow jumped on the can and it went off on a hen under the coop, hitting her right in the face, killing her. Who would have ever thought of such a freaky thing even being possible?

Cannot like but DANG! That is certainly not something one could really see coming.

 

[Peepsi]

Cooking oil. Put it on the feathers and let it soak into the adhesive for a few minutes. Then massage it into the feathers until the glue loosens. Then take a wash cloth and wipe the mess off.

Repeat as necessary until you've gotten most of it off. It has probably occurred to you that the trap needs to be placed in a place inaccessible to chickens.

I am curious to know (for future reference) if Goo-Gone is safe to use on animals for this purpose. Goo-Gone seems to get everything that is sticky, clean, and if it's safe for animals, then it would be the best for getting sticky stuff off! (Searching online seems to indicate it is safe for animals, but no one specifies "chickens".)

 

[DiYMama540]

I am curious to know (for future reference) if Goo-Gone is safe to use on animals for this purpose. Goo-Gone seems to get everything that is sticky, clean, and if it's safe for animals, then it would be the best for getting sticky stuff off! (Searching online seems to indicate it is safe for animals, but no one specifies "chickens".)

The only thing that would give me pause about the goo gone would be the fumes...it's pretty strong smelling!

 

[DiYMama540]

Don't you wish it was possible to know all the ways something that seems so simple and fool proof can go wrong before you have to discover it the hard way? At least no one died. Well, except the rat.

Sometimes consequences just aren't obvious until after the damage is done. One time early in my chicken keeping, I had a can of wasp spray sitting outside next to the coop. A rooster was outside and somehow jumped on the can and it went off on a hen under the coop, hitting her right in the face, killing her. Who would have ever thought of such a freaky thing even being possible?

Also, I would love this...a giant book of consequences!! With my luck I always seem to learn the hard way!