# Rats



## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

Rats keep getting into my chicken pen even though it's indoors and on concrete. They have killed three Rhode Island red pullets about 12 weeks old. When will the chickens be able to defend themselves because right now I've been locking them up at night but its getting harder as they get bigger. Their boxes are off the ground.

It's getting really annoying we put rat poison down but they still seem to be around or coming from neighbors property. They have chewed a hole into my goat pen to but haven't done anything to the goats but the goats are all hopefully pregnant so I don't know if they would try to attack a baby too.

Any advice is helpful.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They aren't going to be able to defend themselves from rats. The rats can kill baby goats too.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

I know you have a beautiful chicken coop, but truly, i dont like chicken coops. I never lock up my chickens, because it is easier for a predator to get to them if they are confined and cant get away. I just set up perches here and there and the chickens sleep on those. They can get away from any kind of predator if needed. Also, rats cant get to perches because they have nothing to climb up on. Just my personal opinion though.
@goathiker i know you have dealt with killer rats before. Any advice?


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> I know you have a beautiful chicken coop, but truly, i dont like chicken coops. I never lock up my chickens, because it is easier for a predator to get to them if they are confined and cant get away. I just set up perches here and there and the chickens sleep on those. They can get away from any kind of predator if needed. Also, rats cant get to perches because they have nothing to climb up on. Just my personal opinion though.
> @goathiker i know you have dealt with killer rats before. Any advice?


Oh okay. I have their outdoor pen set up to where I can just open the window so they have access to outdoor and indoor and I can put more perches in their Coop area as well. Their outdoor area has a dead tree upside down (for decoration and fun for them) they can jump on that and Jump Indoors.. they also have perches in their outdoor area. I have dogs so I have to have them in a coop and there's coyotes around. I can put my dog outside the goat pen when they're kidding. (Hes will kill rats but makes chickens look tasty as well so cant use him for the chickens.)


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

ksalvagno said:


> They aren't going to be able to defend themselves from rats. The rats can kill baby goats too.


Omg I did not know that. I have them in a pin inside of a building. I can put my dog outside of their pen to catch any Rat entering. But cant with the chickens because he doesn't distinguish the difference between the rats and chickens.


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> I know you have a beautiful chicken coop, but truly, i dont like chicken coops. I never lock up my chickens, because it is easier for a predator to get to them if they are confined and cant get away. I just set up perches here and there and the chickens sleep on those. They can get away from any kind of predator if needed. Also, rats cant get to perches because they have nothing to climb up on. Just my personal opinion though.
> @goathiker i know you have dealt with killer rats before. Any advice?


I added these


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

aliciaaperez said:


> I added these
> View attachment 158825


You really should put up roosts for them to sleep in at night. By teachin them it is ok to go into the nest boxes at night you will have very dirty eggs. Also roosts might help keepin the rats from bein able to get to them at night while they sleep. They are old enough to be able to easily get to roost bars. You will most likely need close off the nest boxes and put them up on the roosts at night for a bit to get them used to it though.


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

Sfgwife said:


> You really should put up roosts for them to sleep in at night. By teachin them it is ok to go into the nest boxes at night you will have very dirty eggs. Also roosts might help keepin the rats from bein able to get to them at night while they sleep. They are old enough to be able to easily get to roost bars. You will most likely need close off the nest boxes and put them up on the roosts at night for a bit to get them used to it though.


Oh I see. Ill put one in tomorrow.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

aliciaaperez said:


> Oh I see. Ill put one in tomorrow.


Sorry if i sounded harsh! I really did not mean too. I have somethin else weighing on my mind tonight. So my reply now that i reread it seemed that way. .

Also. Take down the ramps when you put up the roost bars. . They will be able to get in them just fine when it is time to make business. It will also make cleanin much easier on you as well. You will jist need clean under the roosts mainly. You wont have to clean out nest boxes much at all once they learn that nest boxes are only for makin business not for sleepin.


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

Sfgwife said:


> Sorry if i sounded harsh! I really did not mean too. I have somethin else weighing on my mind tonight. So my reply now that i reread it seemed that way. .
> 
> Also. Take down the ramps when you put up the roost bars. . They will be able to get in them just fine when it is time to make business. It will also make cleanin much easier on you as well. You will jist need clean under the roosts mainly. You wont have to clean out nest boxes much at all once they learn that nest boxes are only for makin business not for sleepin.


Oh no worries I didn't take it harsh at all. That's all great to know I will definitely be changing up my coop a little bit. I was just afraid if they had babies how they would get them in the nesting boxes. That's why I put up the ramps. Clean boxes sound much better to me. I feel like that should be wider known because everyone I know puts them in nesting boxes.

Sorry something's Weighing on your mind.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Wow your coop looks like Fort Knox, I can't believe rats are getting in there and killing your pullets! I'm so sorry!

Perhaps you could take a look around your property and eliminate rat hiding & nesting areas? They love big firewood piles, under sheds, etc. 

But yes, you definitely want your chickens sleeping on roosts. Nesting boxes are for egg laying and egg laying only! Naughty hens sleep in nesting boxes. I have no idea if sleeping on roosts will prevent the rat killing, I don't think our rats in New England are quite are large and vicious as described here!


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

SalteyLove said:


> Wow your coop looks like Fort Knox, I can't believe rats are getting in there and killing your pullets! I'm so sorry!
> 
> Perhaps you could take a look around your property and eliminate rat hiding & nesting areas? They love big firewood piles, under sheds, etc.
> 
> But yes, you definitely want your chickens sleeping on roosts. Nesting boxes are for egg laying and egg laying only! Naughty hens sleep in nesting boxes. I have no idea if sleeping on roosts will prevent the rat killing, I don't think our rats in New England are quite are large and vicious as described here!


I've been locking them in the nesting boxes at night so the rats can't get to them and I've even seen the rat hanging from the side of the nesting box trying to chew in through the front of the door. I'm just worried if I put them on a roost if a rat still gets them. I have two roos in there to. I have no obviouse areas rats can hide but my neighbors do.


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

I added a roost and closed off the boxes. The only issue I see is if a rat accesses the roost through the window ledge


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

Rats hate the smell of peppermint oil. I would be spraying the borders of your coop with this. I don't believe it would bother the chickens at all -- someone correct me if I'm wrong (not a chicken person).


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Your pullets are adorable and looks like they like the roosts!


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## grace4every1 (May 2, 2019)

NigerianDwarfOwner707 said:


> Rats hate the smell of peppermint oil. I would be spraying the borders of your coop with this. I don't believe it would bother the chickens at all -- someone correct me if I'm wrong (not a chicken person).


My chickens love peppermint leaves. I have one growing right outside their coop for easy feeding so I don't think the smell of peppermint oil would bother them. I'm going to add more plants now that I know rats don't like them though.


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

SalteyLove said:


> Your pullets are adorable and looks like they like the roosts!


Thank you. One more question. Do these three all look like roo's or is the middle one a hen? I know forsure both on the ends are roo's. The middle one I just havent been able to tell yet lol


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

aliciaaperez said:


> Thank you. One more question. Do these three all look like roo's or is the middle one a hen? I know forsure both on the ends are roo's. The middle one I just havent been able to tell yet lol
> View attachment 158905


Roosts look great! I say the middle is a pullet most likely. As they get bigger 2x4 turned up so the two inch side is up makes great sturdy roost bars. . You want one sq ft of roost space per bird. Did you have put them on the bars or did they do it themselves? They look comfy up there.

Do you only have the chicken wire securing them in? That could be how rats get in. Those nasty beast can fit through tinny holes. If so... hardware cloth might keep rats out better. It is a much stronger fiber and holes are 1/4 to 1/2 inch squares. . We use the quarter inch in ours. It will keep most predators out but still give ventilation. We have windows in our coop as well but added the cloth inside them so we can leave windows open in the heat without frettin of somethin comin in. Anywhere there is a hole has the cloth. We have has ours for over two years and no losses at night inside the coop.


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## aliciaaperez (Jul 1, 2019)

Sfgwife said:


> Roosts look great! I say the middle is a pullet most likely. As they get bigger 2x4 turned up so the two inch side is up makes great sturdy roost bars. . You want one sq ft of roost space per bird. Did you have put them on the bars or did they do it themselves? They look comfy up there.
> 
> Do you only have the chicken wire securing them in? That could be how rats get in. Those nasty beast can fit through tinny holes. If so... hardware cloth might keep rats out better. It is a much stronger fiber and holes are 1/4 to 1/2 inch squares. . We use the quarter inch in ours. It will keep most predators out but still give ventilation. We have windows in our coop as well but added the cloth inside them so we can leave windows open in the heat without frettin of somethin comin in. Anywhere there is a hole has the cloth. We have has ours for over two years and no losses at night inside the coop.


Awesome, thank you. Im going to go look for some of that cloth Friday. I put yhem up there but they know the sticks they can jump on sense their outside section has a bunch of branches to jump on. Now I just hope they make it through the night sense not locked into a box :-/. I just checked them and they are all still on the roosts. The good thing is it should hold then even once they are bigger the way I have it.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Have you considered these? Only protect your young chicken!

https://goodnature.co.nz


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## Chris488 (Sep 4, 2018)

Yep, hardware cloth is the way to go. All of our bird pens have it on the bottom and I bury it down 3-4 inches, sometimes more depending on the soil. That way nothing can dig in underneath it. 

I have a rat tunneling around and into my duck pen, and it's where the hardware cloth and wall have separated. I plan on pulling that whole wall down and replacing it soon, which should put an end to that issue. Well that and some special food for Templeton.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Templeton?


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## Chris488 (Sep 4, 2018)

The rat in the book "Charlotte's Web"


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Chris488 said:


> The rat in the book "Charlotte's Web"


Oooooohh, never thought of such a possibility! This site is really teaching me a lot!  Sends me to Wikipedia again and again!  For sure, Astrid Lindgren had read that book when she wrote about Emil in Lönneberga, who also had a pig as a pet.


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## 21goaties (Mar 13, 2018)

Maybe try getting a cat, if nothing else is working? In that case no poison could be left out though. Just a suggestion, I may or may not just love cats.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

One cat might not be able to. I have seen cats and dogs cooperate to get mice, why not rats?

But rats are big, intelligent, and not very afraid. They might harm a cat ...

I think I already shared this:
https://www.automatictrap.com

_(Edited a spelling mistake)
_


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## Chelsey (Dec 7, 2018)

21goaties said:


> Maybe try getting a cat, if nothing else is working? In that case no poison could be left out though. Just a suggestion, I may or may not just love cats.


Cats aren't big enough. You'd need a ratting dog. We live next to a big field and are constantly battling rats. There's too much feed and too many outbuildings around here. I have two cats who do a wonderful job with mice, ground squirrels and even young/baby rats, but they can't get the adults cause they're too big and mean. I want to be pessimistic and say that you're never going to get rid of them, but if you take away their food source and where they're living, they have no choice but to move on. It'll take a lot of work. Any piles or stacks of anything work well for their home, and ANY type of food that they can access is being eaten by them. They're eating your chicken feed and probably your goat feed after you've fed your animals.


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## Chris488 (Sep 4, 2018)

Yep. If you've also been wanting a new dog, maybe a Jack Russell. That's what our vet recommended instead of poison after our beagle got ahold of some ( she's fine btw ). 

Neighbors up the road have one and it's a rodent killing machine.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

CO2 pistol. Doesn't have the distance as a .22, but will kill a rat. A few years ago, the river by my house kept flooding. All the nasty river rats starting coming up to the barn. Then they found chicken feed, goat feed, etc. (it was kept swept up, but some was in the hay, etc.) I tried traps, poison, etc. the CO2 pistol worked the best. They shoot bbs and are powered by a little CO2 cartridge cylinder. And it's quiet. No gunshot noise.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

This will work independently, and still not kill your chicken or rabbits

https://www.automatictrap.com


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