How To Get Rid Of Rats From Your Chicken Coop?
Rats can be a real problem for poultry farmers, and they are often hard to get rid of. They are also carriers of many diseases that can be transmitted to your chickens. For this reason, it is important to take the necessary steps to get rid of rats from your chicken coop of rats, which will ultimately lead to healthier birds and a healthier environment for them.
In this article, we will discuss some of the most common ways to get these pesky creatures out of your chicken coop!
Where Do Rats Hide?
Before you begin getting rid of them, it is important to find out where they are hiding. If you see one rat, there are most likely many more hiding in different areas. The first step is finding their entry points into the coop, or finding their nests (where they like to gather). Once you know where they are entering from, you can take the necessary steps to make it so they are unable to enter.
How To Get Rid Of Rats From Your Chicken Coop?
Rodents can be difficult to get rid of because there is always a chance that they will return even after you have used several methods to eliminate them. You cannot kill them; if you do, they will only become more aggressive towards your chickens and multiply even faster. So make sure you follow these tips to get rid of them for good!
Use Natural Rat Deterrents
You can use things like peppermint oil or dried lavender around your coop to keep rodents away; this has been proven effective by many chicken farmers who also grow vegetables for both their chickens and themselves. Many people use old-fashioned tricks like hanging dried orange or lemon peels around their coops to repel the rats. Rats also do not like the smell of bay leaves, which you can scatter near your chicken’s nesting boxes; this will help keep them away as well as prevent lice and other such pests from entering their nests.
Do Not Feed Your Chickens Inside The Coop
Rats are nocturnal, so they creep into your coop at night to feast on all those tasty leftovers that should be thrown out. Do not give your chickens any food after dusk, and always clean up the coop before going to bed at night. Make sure there is nothing for the rats to eat inside the coop, or they will come back for more!
Use Chicken-Safe Baits And Traps
There are many chicken-safe baits and traps you can use to get rid of your rat problem. The most effective way is catching the rats in live traps so that they cannot return. You can also purchase poisonous bait that is designed especially for rodents but make sure it is safe for chickens before using it around them. It’s always important to wear gloves when handling any sort of dead animal, just in case it is carrying some type of contagious disease that could be transmitted through bodily fluids.
Chicken-Safe Repellents to Get Rid of Rats From Chicken Coop
If you do not want to kill the rats and would like to keep them away, you can make your all-natural repellent spray to keep them at bay. Mix two tablespoons of hot sauce, one cup of water, and a few drops of dish soap. Spray this mixture around the perimeter of your coop (but don’t get it on their feathers), which will help repel the rats without killing them. This mixture works well with many different types of pests that like to be near chicken coops; it also is safe for humans and chickens alike, so there are no risks involved when using it.
Seek Help From A Pro
If you are still having difficulty getting rid of rats, do not hesitate in seeking outside help from an animal pest control professional. They have all the tools and resources necessary to find your rat problem and eliminate it, so contact one today! After all, if you want chickens, you cannot have rats.
How To Keep Them From Coming Back?
Rats have a keen sense of smell, so you must make sure all food sources are kept out of reach from rodents. Store any feed bags or other food items in rodent-proof containers. If there is no way around keeping some food near where the chickens’ roost, consider using an electric rat zapper if rats become too much trouble.
If You See Signs Of Rat Activity…
One sign that you have an infestation problem is seeing droppings in or around your chicken coop; another sign is hearing noises during the night. If you see or hear these things, make sure to act quickly to get rid of them. You should never let the problem escalate; the bigger the infestation, the harder it will be to completely get rid of them.
Build Barriers Around Your Coop
If you want to make sure they can’t get in, it is essential to build a barrier around your coop using bricks or other strong materials. Rats cannot dig through heavy objects like this; they can, however, jump over short fences, so make sure the fence is at least six inches off the ground. Mesh wire should be fine for this purpose if you’re trying to keep mice out of your coop (they are less likely to scale a barrier).
Note: You shouldn’t ever use poison that’s designed for rats on mice, as it will kill them too slowly and cause them unnecessary pain; some concerns poisoned rodents could crawl into litter boxes or eat chicken food if left outside the cage. If you are trying to poison mice, make sure it is a product that will kill them quickly.
To Sum Up …
Rat infestations can be a big problem for chicken coops, as they like to live in the same environments and will eat the chickens’ feed. There are many ways you can get rid of rats from chicken coop; some methods are more humane than others, but it’s important to make sure they won’t come back by eliminating all possible food sources and by building barriers around your coop (there should be no way for any rodent to get into your coop). If you do still have trouble with rodents, seek professional help from an animal pest control specialist. It is never worth the risk of having chickens become sick due to a rat infestation.