Rats!!!!!

[anderson8505]

No, really, I have rats! I've lived in the same place for over 17 years and never had them until now. The feed is drawing them in (although it is covered and safe) but, also, we lost our last cat this summer. We've always had cats but I am not a cat person, so I didn't replace her.

What else do you do about rats besides poison: afraid of the goat, dogs & chickens eating it.
Trapping: ew.

? Is my only recourse then to get another cat?

What do ya'll think?

 

[goldeneggtees]

honestly, a cat may be the best way to go. I've had so much trouble with rats and haven't found anything that works. we do have stray cats coming around now which is a perfect situation really and I have seen less of them for sure.

 

[ODEY587]

second that a sure fire way to get rid of them is get another cat

 

[UrbanFarmerGreg]

This may sound mean but what about getting an old tom cat or adopting some sort of barn cat... something that stays outside... I see you live in florida so no worries of it freezing in the winter. Then you have a cat but its not in your house... just a suggestion

 

[Judy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=606272#p606272

This is my approach.

 

[anderson8505]

Quote:
Doesn't sound mean at all to me. All of my previous cats were outdoors. It does get to freezing here in Central West Florida, but I do bring

Thanks everyone so far. I figured as much.

Flockwatcher: which approach from that thread?

 

[anderson8505]

update: Here's the (I hope) eventual answer to my rat problem: "Amy Moon"
I hope my daughter's choice of this 4-6 month old rescue from Pasco Animal Services grows up to be a huntress!

 

[Reyvaughn]

I wish you luck! I am having the same issue... But I have 10 cats roaming the farm. I also set out a rat trap today. I sat in the my hen shed and watched three of them scamper around eating my chicken food out of the feeder and drinking the water out of the chicken waterer. When I first walked in today there was an egg on the floor of the hen shed, 5 broken eggs and an egg shell cleaned of it's insides. These vermin are costing me a lot of eggs and chicken feed. Tomorrow, there will be no more chicken feed int the hen shed. I also lost a two day chick to one of them chewing half it's head off. I am about to kick the girls out of the hen shed for a day and put out poison, which I said I would never do.

I ran several gallons of water down their holes just outside the hen shed, too.
I am sick of it already.

 

[ll]

your new cat is a beauty!

I have our run top/bottom/sides 100% hardware cloth screwed with washers every 6 inches and miscellaneous seams tied with wire.

Good luck!

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
I would seriously consider putting out poison. Many years ago, I had a chicken coop that sat on the ground. Couldn't figure out why my egg production went down and feed consumption went up that winter. When it was time to clean out the coop that spring, I noticed several holes in the floor of the coop when I got the straw out. As I was working in there, rats were poking their heads up through the holes looking at me! When I shined my flashlight in one of the holes and looked, the whole space under my coop was crawling with them. I put out lots of "candy" for them. Eventually, they disappeared, and I raised my coop so they wouldn't have such a handy place to hide. We live on a farm, so I'm sure there are a few around the grain bins, but my dog (black lab) is a good ratter and mouser. Better than my cats!