Rats in the Chicken Coop!

Sandhills · #1 12/06/06, 11:03 AM

How would you get rid of rats in a chicken coop? We have cats and a dog so I really don't want to poison them. Would a BB gun or pellet gun kill them?
Our problem came when we burnt an old barn on our place last winter that was full of trash courtesy of the former residents.

The rats just relocated to nearest building which happened to be the chicken coop.

The cats and dog have been killing them but just not fast enough. I've managed to kill a few myself when they ran under a loose board on the floor I stomped them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

fishhead · #2 12/06/06, 11:06 AM

Wooden rat traps placed in areas off limits to the pets would be effective. Put peanut butter UNDER the trigger. You could also use jaw traps set in pipe just large enough for the trap.

Wiffree · #3 12/06/06, 02:56 PM

.22 rifle. BB's don't have enough zap

Conibair traps (I believe I spelled it wrong, sorry)

Wiff

TxGypsy · #4 12/06/06, 03:26 PM

Get bigger chickens!!

Talk about a hoot and a holler, chickens fighting over a mouse!

How big of rats are we talking here? If they are really huge you will need a bigger container than I suggest here. Get a metal trash can. Lean a 2x4 up against it to make a ramp. Put a couple of inches of grain in the bottom of the trash can. Rats will run up the ramp and jump into the trash can. Because of the slick steep sides of the trash can they can't get out again. Bash them in the head with a big stick, ax, shoot em, etc. If for some reason they aren't finding the grain in the trash can put a small trail of kernals going up the board. Nope, a plastic trash can won't work, they can get enough traction to climb out. Now for the most important part. Keep the rest of the grain cleaned up around your place. Especially keep feed in metal trashcans with tight fitting lids.

Sandhills · #5 12/08/06, 09:59 AM

I appreciate the suggestions.
We already keep our feed in the big metal trashcans so I'll have to try and trap them. I've used this method with mice and a bucket.
I'm considering allowing my 16 year old son to sit out there with his 22 and wait for them to stick their heads out. I would just have to keep the other kids coralled in the house.
Unfortunately rat traps won't work because at least one of the rats is as large as our smallest cat. He must be a granddaddy. He scares my 13 year old daughter silly. It's her job to care for the chickens.
Thanks again for your help.

beowoulf90 · #6 12/08/06, 12:26 PM

Try putting soda out for them to drink, the old wives tale says that rats can't burb and the bubbles from the soda will kill them supposedly. I have know clue if this works, it's just what I've heard over the years..

I do know that if your son does go out to shoot them they will learn from his shots. I used to wait them out with my shotgun and they learned that it only held 3 shots, they would send out 3 young rats and after they heard the third shot all the old ones would run out from under a dog house for their holes... I out foxed them I took the plug out of the shotgun and now had room for 6 in the tube and 1 in the chamber... Rats are very smart they will learn after you kill 1 or 2 of them and they will change their tactics, so you must also...
I also ran actelene(sp) down their holes, then made a very long fuze and lit it and ran.... I was very surprized where I saw flames coming out of the ground, they had a bigger complex than I thought, but it slowed the problem down for awhile...

**highlands** · #7 12/09/06, 10:53 AM

We briefly had garbage pick service years ago. The garbage trucks brought rats. The rats killed some of my chicks. I put one of our LGD's out with the chicks. He killed all the rats saving the chicks. Dogs eat a lot of vermin and have big appetites. Our cats will kill a few a day. Our dogs will snarf down dozens an hour and they don't leave presents like mouse heads, livers, etc on the doorstep.

dragonfly1113 · #8 12/09/06, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sandhills

How would you get rid of rats in a chicken coop? We have cats and a dog so I really don't want to poison them. Would a BB gun or pellet gun kill them?
Our problem came when we burnt an old barn on our place last winter that was full of trash courtesy of the former residents.

The rats just relocated to nearest building which happened to be the chicken coop.

The cats and dog have been killing them but just not fast enough. I've managed to kill a few myself when they ran under a loose board on the floor I stomped them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I live in town but have a big fenced in back yard where I used to have chickens. I did not have rats but the mice came in droves. I didnt have cats around my chicken house nor would I let my siberian husky anywhere near my chickens. first I bought those metal traps where they go in but cant come out. But you have to drown the mice. When hubby was around he did it. But I had to do it one time and I could not do it after that. The only other thing I knew of was poisen but was afraid that my chickens would get it. I found the poisen that was in bars instead of pellets and that made it easier. So I bought that and put it in the rooms where my chickens were not at. It done the job pretty good. Some of them mice decided to come to my house so we got a cat for inside. But I ended up giving my chickens away because of the mice. I was so sad because I love chickens.
Buy some stick poisen and stick it under those loose floor boards. That will help.
Susie

mommy21101 · #9 12/09/06, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beowoulf90

I also ran actelene(sp) down their holes, then made a very long fuze and lit it and ran.... I was very surprized where I saw flames coming out of the ground, they had a bigger complex than I thought, but it slowed the problem down for awhile...

Funny story about this here in New Mexico; it was all over the news. This guy was cleaning up his property and had a burn pile. He clocked a rat with a rock (only knocking it out apparently), when he threw it in the burn pile, the thing caught on fire, woke up and ran into the guy's house-- burnt the house to the ground. Okay, not funny for the guy, but could you imagine losing your home to a mouse.

beowoulf90 · #10 12/11/06, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mommy21101

Funny story about this here in New Mexico; it was all over the news. This guy was cleaning up his property and had a burn pile. He clocked a rat with a rock (only knocking it out apparently), when he threw it in the burn pile, the thing caught on fire, woke up and ran into the guy's house-- burnt the house to the ground. Okay, not funny for the guy, but could you imagine losing your home to a mouse.

The difference I see is I wasn't near any building other then the large dog house. I was just surprized as to how large the colony was, it went further into the woods then I had originally thought...but it also showed me that there was more old farm equipment covered by leaves, falldowns vines, etc. Unfortunately none of it was worth anything more than scrap price..