SarahGlymond Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Does it go hand in hand if i get chickens i will get rats ? how do you stop them if at all i plan to make a stationary run with concrete slabs on the ground covered in wood chip and i will bring the food in at night is that all i can do ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 No, it's not automatic that you will get rats if you have chickens - but it's a possibility. Bringing food in at night will help, and if you do find you have rats then secure bait boxes with poison in is the best way to deal with them. Rats are around all the time and are just as likely to be attracted by your neighbours' bird table or compost heap as they are by the chicken food. I've never had a rat problem so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahGlymond Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 thanks i already ave a bird table so thats ok its my only concern as love chickens and rats not so much ! thankyou for the advice as a chicken virgin im grateful for all the advice i can get x x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 You WILL get mice though. I found one in the actual chicken house today, it fell into the food hopper when I pulled the bedding tray out, must have thought it had died and gone to heaven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heth1986 Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Ditto all of the above... I had rats last summer and managed to get rid of them with lots of traps and, in the end, an air rifle for the 2 cheeky ones that managed to dodge all of the traps BUT I did leave the food and water out Since I've been bringing it in at night and being scrupulously clean, I haven't had any more problems , I also leave a baited snap trap out 24/7 on the off chance. It also depends on what kind of run they'll be having? Walk in runs are, I imagine, virtually impossible to rat proof unless you use a mesh with small holes in all the way around however i believe omlet ones may be rat proof? A concrete / slab floor will certainly help. Apparently if you plant mint / lavender / other smelly plants around the edge of the run then these will help to deter the rats in the first place but there are mixed opinions on this, I guess they just help to mask the smell of the food. Enjoy your chicken shopping and remember to leave space for a couple more because you WILL get morehens disease ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 We've had our birds 5 years and this is the first year we have had to sort out rats. I think the cold weather has had an effect and they are venturing further for food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counturchickens Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Just to add the omlet wir isn't rat proof! Our is on concrete, but a rat got in by climbing up the mesh on the outside and through the upper half of the wir where the mesh is bigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunkdoobiest Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 My neighbour, (next door but one) has rats under his decking and a neighbour the other side has mice. So I'm having to set traps. It's a shame as we get a lot of hedgehogs and I used to feed them. Only option is to put bait boxes down as I can't control how tidy the neighbours are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
