# Rats!



## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

Ugh I'm having a rat problem in my barn. I don't keep any grain out there anymore, so that has helped some, but I've been reading that they can't (or won't) dig through pea gravel. So I'm thinking of putting down a couple inches of pea gravel in the whole barn and then of course I'd put down the usual straw bedding down for the goaties. Do you think gravel would be too hard for them to lay on? I guess it wouldn't be any harder than the dirt floor they're on now, but it just doesn't sound very comfortable to me. It might actually be better for drainage than the plain dirt floor too, now that I think about it... Does anyone else have a gravel floor in their barn?


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## Jdyson (Jul 20, 2011)

Get a couple barn cats, they will take care of it. :greengrin:


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## Goat Song (May 4, 2011)

I might be concerned that the goats/kids might try eating the pea gravel.... Other than that, I don't see a problem with it.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have wood floors that are up off the ground and the low side stays wet under the bard duee to bad drainage...I saw one rat a year ago and went and bought one of those pet/child safe bait boxes and loaded it with the poison blocks and placed it under the shed where nothing could get to it...I haven't see a rat since.


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## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

A barn cat was my first thought too, so I got one a few weeks ago from a friend, and the darned thing ran away. Oh, and my doe was sooooo scared of the cat, she refused to go in the barn even after the cat was gone LOL!


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

I've read that pied pipers are very effective... hopefully it wouldn't run off with your kids.... 
No other helpful suggestions but I do wish you good luck getting rid of the little buggers...
M.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Did you give the barn cat milk fresh from the goat milk? That keeps mine around.

When nothing else has worked; we put poison under the wood floor. We really do not like doing that but we had rats that pulled chickens off the roost!


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

I would say you need more then 1 cat. I would also maybe keep it in a pen for a week so it gets used to the place then set it free and it might not run away.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I would say you need more then 1 cat. I would also maybe keep it in a pen for a week so it gets used to the place then set it free and it might not run away.


 I agree with Roger...you have to pen them up for a while to get them to know it is home....and having 2 fixed cats is ideal for rat cleanup.... :wink:


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## SandStoneStable Farm (Dec 8, 2010)

Also having large (size and volume) rat problem this summer!! Nieghbor has 8 (yes 8) cats that run a muck in my yard and the rats don't care!!
I guess introducing chickens is my problem. Everyone's food comes up (locked up tight) and water getting dumped at night (the rats just play and poop in it all night anyway).
My plan:
1 week of a centrally located water bucket away from the goats and chickens. Started this week.
Put poison blocks in a Tomcat box at night near the water bucket.
Pull up poison block every morning, dump water bucket away from barn.
Repeat for a week.

I'm hoping they will die in/ at the water bucket, so I don't have to find bodies (nor do my chickens).
I just haven't worked up the courage to put the poison down, I'm afraid if they carry it away a chicken or goat baby will find it. 

In the mean time, we are night hunting with bb gun. I hate RATS!!!
Let you know how it goes and good luck with your rats!
Caryn


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I heard of this years ago but have never tried it so do not know if it works or not. Put out feed for the rats to gain their confidence. Then mix cement or plaster in with the feed. It kills the rat without the fear of something eating a poisoned rat or the rats spreading the poison around. 
Just a thought.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Not sure if anyone here has heard of the pest control company Ehrlich...anyhow, where I work, we have a guy come out once a month for general pest control...flies, ants etc, we had an issue a few years ago with sewer rats around the dumpster and he placed those "safe" bait boxes which are made to hold bait securely and prevent critters from carrying it away...I had asked about "secondary" poisoning by my dog finding a poisoned critter and he said that the amount of toxin the rat/mouse eats to kill it is not enough to hurt a dog or a cat and most dogs and cats won't eat an already dead critter..they tend to either roll in the decay or play with it.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We aren't having a rat problem, but we have a ton of mice in the barn and shed <where we keep the feed>. It's getting so bad that a mouse knows my feeding routine, comes out, and thinks it's going to steal grain from them while they are eating their morning feeding! So I have to stand there on feed guard duty to keep it/them away!

I decided today we ARE getting mouse poison and we'll have to make a box with a hole in it to keep the goats out. I'll make sure I put it in a safe place near the main feeder....Cat just isn't an option, I'd be afraid it would run away -- get hit on the road as that seems to happen a lot 

Then after nearly 4 years we have a raccoon....have no clue how we're going to get rid of him! So far I don't think it goes in the barn, it's a young one as it's not very big. I really don't want to kill it, but it's trying to find every way it can to get into my trash AND my house! Last night when we had a power outage from a storm I was cooking on the back deck on the grill, everyone went to bed, and I just had another piece of chicken I was finishing up. I sat at the table, had the door opened just s tiny bit, it was closed just not pulled shut. I heard a noise, and it was the **** trying to pull the door open! I've heard it at the front door, and I worry now that I won't be able to leave my windows open, I'm afraid it will tear my screens apart trying to get in


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

For the ****...a box trap will work, maybe a neighbor has one you can use or even your local game wardens. As far as building a box to put poison in, I do recommend getting the blocks of bait with the holes in the center...this way you can srcure it by way of nail or screw inside the box, less chance of them carrying it away into areas where the goats can get it.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks Liz I appreciate it! If you hadn't told me that I would have just gotten the little pelleted stuff! I will call a game warden tomorrow and see what they say. I don't know any neighbors that have any traps as we just don't typically have issues with the *****. We've been here 4 years this Oct, and this is the first one that we've ever seen here. It's a cute little hairy thing, but doesn't mean I want it here LOL When I was a kid we used to feed ***** at a property we owned out in the country. They knew we'd come every weekend, and we'd bring chips or popcorn for them. They were such a joy, first a few adults, then they'd bring their friends, then they would bring the babies. They were never a problem, EVER that I can recall, they'd eat right out of your hand....again doesn't mean I want that happening here, heh...


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## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

Thanks for the advice everyone! I noticed this morning the cat was back in our yard, so I guess she didn't run away after all. Maybe she's just coming around at night. I've still been leaving food out for her. 

I haven't been keeping any grain out in the barn anymore because the rats and mice were chewing right through the rubbermaid containers I had it in. 

I did end up putting down a thick layer of pea gravel this past weekend and then their regular bedding on top of it, and now the barn is fairly well sealed up without any holes around the bottom where they can crawl in. We'll see if it does any good. I was worried about the gravel being uncomfortable, but it's actually surprisingly squishy and has more "give" than the hard dirt did. I think the goats actually like it.


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## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

If your floor is off the ground you can put rolled chicken wire under and it will keep the rats away. Peppermint essential oil works well too. Rats hate peppermint.


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## SandStoneStable Farm (Dec 8, 2010)

Mine ate the peppermint packets!!! Seriously!!
Love to hear how the pea gravel is going... keep us updated, please!


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

I have an AWESOME barn cat/chicken guardian named Thor. I have been worried about him after we move because of the road out front. We have our barn built far enough away from the road we are hoping he will stay at the barn. I have metal cans for feed so I'm hoping they can't get in.

My chickens will kill mice as well. :greengrin: I have killer chickens. They also love little snakes.

Gina


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

mrs. lam said:


> My chickens will kill mice as well.


Do yours play soccer with them? Mine do. :slapfloor:


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

YES! They kick them, tote them and fling them across the yard while chasing each other! Chicken soccer! We should get them together and play a game. Hmmm. Now to pick a team name and colors.... Okay. Mine are the "Flyin' Feathers". I'll work on training and they'll be good to go. :greengrin: 

Gina


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## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

omg that's hilarious! I'm so jealous, my chickens never kill any mice! They need some lessons from the "Flyin' Feathers"! :laugh:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I haven't had a mouse or a rat since I got turkeys. No kiddng, those buggers dig up the nests and catch them and eat them.


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