Rat Control?

[Annika Bartz]

Anyone else in the city in a constant battle against rats around the coop? I have an underground hardware cloth barrier around my coop and run, but have recently discovered one has taken up residence inside my run for the winter. Burrowing under the heated water bowl and stealing from the chicken feeder. Help! Is there an answer? A cat? A dog? Just live with it?

[Peter Barash]

I hired someone to do rat abatement but they were getting into a storage area of mine. I know some have gotten ferule cats but I wasn't comfortable with that. There are some natural bait options that will kill the rats but not right there (so you won't have to remove them). 

-peter-

On Sat, Jan 15, 2022, 1:22 PM Annika Bartz <bartz....@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone else in the city in a constant battle against rats around the coop? I have an underground hardware cloth barrier around my coop and run, but have recently discovered one has taken up residence inside my run for the winter. Burrowing under the heated water bowl and stealing from the chicken feeder. Help! Is there an answer? A cat? A dog? Just live with it?

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[Nannette Huffman]

Check out Shawn Woods on YouTube. 

“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”

—Mahatma Gandhi—

On Jan 15, 2022, at 3:23 PM, Peter Barash <psba...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Carolyn Ioder]

We have changed out our feeders four times. THe last is found onAmazon called DIY chicken feeder. 

https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Poultry-Gravity-Buckets-Barrels/dp/B09BDB4DNS/ref=asc_df_B09BDB4DNS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532827065901&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5707665318335301422&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031169&hvtargid=pla-1602212395432&psc=1

We store chicken feed EVERY NIGHT.  We cannot get rid of the rats, but I certainly will NOT feed them any more.  They will have to go out for a buffet.

We fill all rat holes with quickcrete cement then pour water.  The rats that try to eat through the cement will die.  We reduce the population and do not allow them to be comfortable.

I see fewer of them.

Peace,

Carolyn 

GlennArt Farm

On Sat, Jan 15, 2022 at 1:22 PM Annika Bartz <bartz....@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone else in the city in a constant battle against rats around the coop? I have an underground hardware cloth barrier around my coop and run, but have recently discovered one has taken up residence inside my run for the winter. Burrowing under the heated water bowl and stealing from the chicken feeder. Help! Is there an answer? A cat? A dog? Just live with it?

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David and Carolyn Ioder

GlennArt Farm

5749 West Midway Park

Chicago IL 60644

8476127315 (Carolyn's cell) 8472269510 (David's cell)

[Kathy Collier]

Do you have the hardware cloth, skirted out from the perimeter?

About a foot down.

They can’t dig UNDER the coop/run.

Check for any little breaks in the current hardware cloth.

Sometimes they’ll still put a hole through, if there’s a good opportunity.

On Sat, Jan 15, 2022 at 13:22 Annika Bartz <bartz....@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone else in the city in a constant battle against rats around the coop? I have an underground hardware cloth barrier around my coop and run, but have recently discovered one has taken up residence inside my run for the winter. Burrowing under the heated water bowl and stealing from the chicken feeder. Help! Is there an answer? A cat? A dog? Just live with it?

[Michele Hays]

If you can access the burrow, buy some dry ice pellets, block the "main" entrance (usually it's hidden - the one you can see is a secondary entrance - but there are always at least two)  pour the dry ice down the burrow and cover.  Make sure, of course, you're following all the safety instructions so you don't get dry ice burns.

Rats will fall asleep and die from lack of oxygen as the dry ice will harmlessly sublimates into carbon dioxide and displaces the oxygen in the burrow.  This way, you also get the large female rat who is frequently too big for the poison boxes Chicago rat abatement uses and you'll see fewer rats.  Generally more humane and better for the environment - they were doing it in a couple municipalities including NYC and Chicago with a lot of success until the EPA shut it down, not because it was toxic but because it hadn't been studied as a large-scale rodenticide.  I'm guessing small-scale use isn't a problem.

On Sat, Jan 15, 2022 at 1:22 PM Annika Bartz <bartz....@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone else in the city in a constant battle against rats around the coop? I have an underground hardware cloth barrier around my coop and run, but have recently discovered one has taken up residence inside my run for the winter. Burrowing under the heated water bowl and stealing from the chicken feeder. Help! Is there an answer? A cat? A dog? Just live with it?

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Michele Hays

she/her/hers

Back On Their Feet Evanston, IL Facebook Group 
and Sharing Site - Back On Their Feet (membership in community group required)
 Give and Take Bins/Cajas de Intercambio Map

[Jennifer Murtoff]

Grandpa's feeder or another treadle-style feeder. 

50/50 baking soda and peanut butter as a poison.

Rat terrier! I do not recommend feral cats - they wreak havoc on native wildlife, regardless of whether or not they are fed. 
There are different bucket traps online, as well as a bowl of a peanut oil.  

On Sat, Jan 15, 2022, 1:22 PM Annika Bartz <bartz....@gmail.com> wrote:

Anyone else in the city in a constant battle against rats around the coop? I have an underground hardware cloth barrier around my coop and run, but have recently discovered one has taken up residence inside my run for the winter. Burrowing under the heated water bowl and stealing from the chicken feeder. Help! Is there an answer? A cat? A dog? Just live with it?

[Tim Norris]

Only a dream… I want a small pack of Rat Terriors! 

                   Tim Norris

  ... from the phone in my pocket

On Jan 16, 2022, at 1:46 PM, Jennifer Murtoff <mur...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Kathy Collier]

I have a terrier mix.

Part Yorkie/dachshund/?

He’s so fast and an expert at killing rats.

My Pomeranian “flushes” them out, the terrier catches and kills them

They’re a great team!

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[Beth]

I've been considering making the investment into Grandpa's treadle feeder but wondering if it would actually work to prevent the rat issue in the first place (am upgrading my run -- I've never had rats and would like to keep it that way).

Unfortunately the rats may be around because of your neighbors and there's not much you can do about that. If your coop/run floor isn't FULLY solid or double layered with hardware cloth, they can burrow up underneath. Maybe consider putting your heated water bottle up higher so they don't have a cozy spot to sleep?

[Annika Bartz]

Thanks so much for all the advice! It's comforting to know I'm not the only one in the battle. I checked around my entire run and I can't find any place where the rat barrier has been broken, but it also doesn't seem like there has been any activity in the run the last couple days - so maybe it snuck in for a night when I had the run door open? I've been more diligent about making absolutely certain I get the run door closed before dusk and taking the food in EVERY NIGHT. Also seriously considering a couple terriers after doing some research. I have a cardinal family living in my hedge and I'd be heart-broken to bring cats in...and it doesn't seem like cats are actually very effective in the long term as I read up on it.

Thanks again!

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[Erica Magda]

I just put in the hardware cloth liner under the entire coop, and it's keeping the rats out. Next best thing to a concrete floor.

I have a Grandpa's Feeder I'm no longer using and selling (this model) if anyone was looking for one. Feel free to email me.  

Good luck! 

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[Mike Vendel]

I also have fought many battles but lost the war - and learned to just remove the food source at night. And I don't see them anymore. 

-Mike

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[Annika Bartz]

Thanks everyone! removing the food source nightly has definitely been a huge help. I also finally found the access point! The rats had been able to inch the hardware cloth away from the frame of the run at the roof! It never occurred to me to look UP! Good luck to all in the war against rats! 

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