rats pulling birds down holes what have you tried

[Kris5902]

Also make sure to do as much rat proofing as you can! Try to eliminate all spilled feed. Collect feeders and put them in Rat proof containers at night. Consider upsizing the 5gallon bucket with water and a dowel with a peanut butter coated can idea to a garbage can size?

 

[Rietta]

They can break normal rat traps? I use a .22 with rat shot in it....if your in the city though that is no help. My hubby shot one in the feed room.. we leave a trap set. I hot glue bait to the lever of traps they trigger it without getting food first. Hardware cloth around the outside of the coop may help to, we put it on the coop... came out on the ground 2.5 feet and dumped rock on it to keep it down. No problems since it even stopped the rat snakes. don't put feed or water in the coop if you can help it. Are they killing your birds?

 

[DiYMama540]

@Evelyn Walker you're telling me!!

 

[Chicken Heel]

I have also had less rodent issues when my chickens have access underneath the coops. Chickens love mouse and rat babies as a morsel.

 

[Sea Wolf]

Look in your feed store or even the hardware store for foggers meant to kill rats in their holes. Look like road flares. Do this when the chickens are outside in the daytime. Find all the holes you can and fill them in. Block off the entrance with a brick. Do this to all but one or two of the tunnels. Light the fogger sticks and stick them down into the open holes. They burn for a while and fill the tunnels with sulfur fumes that will kill all the rats hiding below. Also buy the live traps meant for squirrels. Make sure all parts operate smoothly. I wire a dry sponge piece to the trap trigger and spread it with peanut butter. I also use dry dog food sprinkled through the trap inside and a little pile of it in the far end. Always make sure the trap is set on level ground so that their feet are touching the ground surface as they walk into the trap. They are smart and, if they can manage to open the door they will to get out.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It's a shame you don't have snakes up there. They're better ratters than cats or dogs. They can get into where the rats hole up.

I can suggest 2 types of traps you may not have tried.
Stairway to heaven and conibear body traps.
You can make your own stairway to heaven or buy one on amazon. There are several versions.

The conibear will kill instantly. I recommend a #160 or #220 if they are really big. I killed 6 squirrels in a day with a #110.
https://www.flemingoutdoors.com/duke-160-body-trap.html

 

[Chicken Heel]

Look in your feed store or even the hardware store for foggers meant to kill rats in their holes. Look like road flares. Do this when the chickens are outside in the daytime. Find all the holes you can and fill them in. Block off the entrance with a brick. Do this to all but one or two of the tunnels. Light the fogger sticks and stick them down into the open holes. They burn for a while and fill the tunnels with sulfur fumes that will kill all the rats hiding below. Also buy the live traps meant for squirrels. Make sure all parts operate smoothly. I wire a dry sponge piece to the trap trigger and spread it with peanut butter. I also use dry dog food sprinkled through the trap inside and a little pile of it in the far end. Always make sure the trap is set on level ground so that their feet are touching the ground surface as they walk into the trap. They are smart and, if they can manage to open the door they will to get out.

I sure could have used these foggers back in the day when I set the woods on fire.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

This one is pricey but has fairly good reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074XXNC9G/?tag=backy-20

The conibear is pretty cheap.

 

[Sea Wolf]

The bucket/water traps work too if you use a trash can. Make the water a foot deep and add some dish soap so the water soaks into their fur and they drown faster.

 

[Folly's place]

Really, only poison in bait stations will get the entire colony. Lock up your cats and set out bait stations, and replace the bait until it no longer is being eaten. put any dead rodents in the garbage. Most rodents will die in their tunnels, so won't be available to be eaten by anyone else.
Every other trap, and rodent killer, won't eliminate them all.
Close off any tunnels, and hardware cloth and/ or concrete everywhere possible.
Mary