4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[toastedblue]

just came back off holiday to find rats have made their way into the run and have been eating the chicken food.

we've found 2 holes between the run base and the block wall, and have put down a couple of traps and a bag of poison

will get box traps tomorrow so we can let the chickens free range without risk of injury/poisoning

 

what I'd like to know is is there any risk of the rats passing deseases on to the chickens and what should I do

 

thanks

[Egluntyne]

Have a look **here**.

 

The answers to many everyday chicken questions are in the FAQ section.

[toastedblue]

thanks eglutine

[toastedblue]

just wanted to update...

 

rats seem to have gone, used pink "tea bag" type bait

 

was about 4 days before they took the first teabag but within 2 days they'd taken all 5 and I haven't seen them since

 

still taking the chickens food in at night and checking for new holes, fingers crossed, no sign of them so far

[Egluntyne]

Good riddance.

 

Pink Teabag type bait?

[Yolky]

I have just read the faq and I already take the food in so there is nothing to tempt them but from reading about them contaminating the water I think I will take the water in too in future. I have to put the feeder in every morning so will be no trouble to have to do the same with the water too.

I don't think I have them, just as a precaution.

 

Thank you.

[toastedblue]

Good riddance.

 

Pink Teabag type bait?

 

this...

 

 

it's like a big teadbag, about 75mm (3") square, and cost 20p each from my local pet store... £1 well spent

 

forgot to mention, it's called Roban Rat/mouse poison Pasta Bait

[Helen&Lee]

Do you have any others animals?

 

I only ask because I spotted a rat last night in my compost heap.

 

I'm at a loss what to do at the moment because Barney, one of my dogs is into anything, often coming in with dead things or trying to eat frogs....

 

I'm worried he might find some displaced poison or the soon to be dead rats...

[Sheilaz]

If you know they're in the compost heap you could set a rat trap (like a giant mouse trap) inside it. Is it one with a lid?

Rats are extremely neo sensitive so will be wary at first. But, if you put blobs of peanut butter, that should do the trick. Only one at a time, and they need disposing of, but an idea if you're avoiding the bait.

[koo2cat]

We are having a terrible time with a large rat at the moment! It is scaring the chickens to death who make a dreadful noise if ratty is about and he is eating all their food and drinking their water!

 

We have tried putting poison down and setting a trap neither of which has worked. have ordered some Eradibait off the web and hope that might work as really want to get it sorted before we leave the neighbors in charge while we go on holiday!

 

He is very crafty and keeps digging under the run skirt. We block off each hole with a large brick/stone and he either digs round them or makes another hole!

 

I was hoping chicken keeping was going to be fun and so far we have lurched from one problem to another. Sorry to be negative but it does get me down at times.

[Abbey Road Girl]

So sorry to hear you sounding so discouraged about henkeeping. I guess a string of bad luck is bound to happen now and then. Let's hope that your luck changes--and quickly!

[Sheilaz]

I felt like that one year when we had a sudden infestation. Yuk, and it felt out of control for a bit.

But, I promise you, once it is dealt with, and more prevention is put in place, you'll soon forget the episiode.

Keep at it with strategic baiting if you can. Place the bait where the holes are, rather than blocking them for now. They always follow old runs when they can,

You'll win, then chickenkeeping will be fun again, really it will!

Good luck!

[Yolky]

Koo2cat it might be worth putting your cube onto slabs, they cannot burrow in then. This is what I will be doing with the eglu (when I can find some free/cheap slabs)

[Egluntyne]

Run a hosepipe through the compost bin....that'll shift him.

[toastedblue]

Keep at it with strategic baiting if you can. Place the bait where the holes are, rather than blocking them for now.

 

that's what we did, it/they made 3 run holes so I blocked 2 and dug a small hollow next to the 3rd, 6" square by 4" deep

 

I put the bait in the hollow and covered the whole thing with a small 1/2 log, leaving enough room for the rat to get in and out so as not to spook it too much

 

4 days later the 1st Roban t-bag disappeared, so I put another one in, when that went I did it again and again... 5 Roban t-bags and 2 days later and we haven't seen a rat for over a week

 

good luck to all afflicted