How to get rid of rats in the coop

[Dylan Lambert]

I have auto feeders and waterers so i am sure as long as i have access to food and water they have no reason to leave. I have tried rat traps(both mechanical and electric) and also even built a barrel trap. I have gotten a few but i am still seeing rat poo in the nest boxes. I have also tried irish spring soap (the rats ate it). Should i use poison?? I have dog1 and 40 chickens and 2 ducks that i am afraid would get into the posion or get hold of an affected rat.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I don't think you're going to get rid of them while having automatic feeders.

Rats are smart. If they see one dead in a trap, they avoid that trap. They taste food, walk away, see if they feel bad, and if they don't, then they come back to finish it off.

(Posted before I was ready)

Since they reproduce so quickly, they'll re-populate as you kill them.

You could try carbon monoxide, but my solution would be to cover everything you can possibly cover with hardware cloth, and retire the automatic feeders until the rats are gone.

 

[Dylan Lambert]

I don't think you're going to get rid of them while having automatic feeders.

Rats are smart. If they see one dead in a trap, they avoid that trap. They taste food, walk away, see if they feel bad, and if they don't, then they come back to finish it off.

(Posted before I was ready)

Since they reproduce so quickly, they'll re-populate as you kill them.

You could try carbon monoxide, but my solution would be to cover everything you can possibly cover with hardware cloth, and retire the automatic feeders until the rats are gone.

I was afraid that this was the answer i would get lol. I have worked so hard to make everything from the feed and water to roll out nest boxes all as easy and efficient as possible but i seemed to forget about the endless supply the rats would have. Deep down i knew that removing feed and water at night would probably be the only real answer but figured i would try 1 last time for any other 1 off idea i might have missed. Thanks!

 

[Al Gerhart]

Auto feeders, as in bulk feeders like the Little Giant type? That would be the draw for the rats. Get a good rat proof treadle feeder with a heavy counterweight and a spring loaded door, install it according to the directions (no getting inventive!), and train the birds according to the instructions and the rats will leave. You need full size birds or at least some, not meant for an all bantam or all silky flock.

Removing the feed at night is gonna get old fast and you are tied to the coop twice per day. Water, unless you are in an arid climate the water alone won't hold rodents there. Rodents almost always live within a few dozen yard of their food source and natural food sources will limit the rat population. Traveling and foraging for food is also very dangerous for a rodent. The only time their population can explode is when a human is leaving food available be it a coop, trash bins, or a warehouse with edibles.

Do a forum search on rats and chickens, there are dozens and dozens of threads covering dealing with rats. Howard E.'s post on Rats 101 is excellent. But all you really have to do is be responsible with the feed, responsible for basic sanitation to prevent other food sources (compost), and rats cannot live in a chicken coop. They will leave when they get hungry.

 

[Dylan Lambert]

Auto feeders, as in bulk feeders like the Little Giant type? That would be the draw for the rats. Get a good rat proof treadle feeder with a heavy counterweight and a spring loaded door, install it according to the directions (no getting inventive!), and train the birds according to the instructions and the rats will leave. You need full size birds or at least some, not meant for an all bantam or all silky flock.

Removing the feed at night is gonna get old fast and you are tied to the coop twice per day. Water, unless you are in an arid climate the water alone won't hold rodents there. Rodents almost always live within a few dozen yard of their food source and natural food sources will limit the rat population. Traveling and foraging for food is also very dangerous for a rodent. The only time their population can explode is when a human is leaving food available be it a coop, trash bins, or a warehouse with edibles.

Do a forum search on rats and chickens, there are dozens and dozens of threads covering dealing with rats. Howard E.'s post on Rats 101 is excellent. But all you really have to do is be responsible with the feed, responsible for basic sanitation to prevent other food sources (compost), and rats cannot live in a chicken coop. They will leave when they get hungry.

These ard the feeders i made/use i haven't seen rats in the feeder or around but have found rat poop in my nest boxes and have holes all around my coop. I store the feed in a large thick plastic feed barrel with a lid. I have already killed over 20 rats so the only reason they stay has got to be for the feeder.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Heh heh, yeah, those are rat buffets. But you know, sometimes it takes a while for the rats to show up and you can get away with using a feeder like that. They do keep the feed dray and I would think it would be hard for a hen to rake feed out of the feeder.

 

[Dylan Lambert]

Yea thats why i built them, they keep the chickens from wasting feed.

 

[Cluckcorner]

These ard the feeders i made/use i haven't seen rats in the feeder or around but have found rat poop in my nest boxes and have holes all around my coop. I store the feed in a large thick plastic feed barrel with a lid. I have already killed over 20 rats so the only reason they stay has got to be for the feeder.
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Despite the rats that looks like an ingenious feeder tip my hat to that one!

 

[Dylan Lambert]

Haha thanks. Yea they work really well and save a lot of feed but they have to be the cause of the rats.

 

[PatriciafromCO]

does anyone use (ratters terriers) successful and not have them go after the birds? I've had barn cats that left the birds and fowl alone, and I encourage rat snakes