Re: Help - I got a rat in my chicken coop!

Hi folks,
thanks for all the useful information.
Using rat poison is not a good idea in my situation.
There are lots of rabbits, squirrels, snakes, chipmunks, birds and other
kritters all over the place. (I live near Palm Springs, CA - in the Mojave
desert). Any poison laid out might kill those animals too.
Snakes in the coop really freak me out!!!
The other day I went into the coop and
encountered a huge, long snake.
I believe it was a "rosy boa", I think that's what they are called.
Approx.5ft long.
Needless to say, I got out of the coop real fast, even though it was not a
poisonous snake.
But we do have a rattle snakes too, but I have not encountered one yet in
the coop, I'm glad to say.
My chickens are free range, but they all go voluntarily back into the coop
at dusk.
I got to put my thinking cap on to solve this problem somehow.

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" <Omelet@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Omelet-144458.18442706082005@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> In article <ri7Je.6252$p5.514@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx!nnrp1.uunet.ca>,
> "Don and Deanna Lecuyer" <lecuyer@xxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > My suggestion is to get warfarin (best rat poisin) and place the bags
> > underneath or arond the coop providing the birds can't reach it and
inside
> > the walls if you can fit it there.
> >
> > Another idea is to place the pellets on the roof depending on the height
of
> > the coop
> >
> > P.S. - Don't let ignorant people force you to defend your honest
questions,
> > some folks type faster than they can think or maybe don't even think at
all
>
>
> The risk in using rat pellets is that the rats tend to carry bait off.
> It could end up anywhere!
>
> Using poison bait around chickens is risky at best but it's the best
> solution to a develping rat problem.
>
> Chicken feed attracts rodents so many people have or will eventually end
> up with a problem. Here is how I've been handling it and I have yet to
> end up with a poisoned chicken...
>
> I've built permanent bait stations out of cinder blocks. The rats can go
> in there but the chickens cannot. Locate them outside of the henhouse
> along a wall. Rats usually hug walls when they are running around.
>
> Inside of the bait station is a suit bird feeder. A small wire cage used
> for feeding woodpeckers etc. Inside of that I place the Bar-type rat
> bait. The rats have to eat the poison thru the bars of the bait cage
> this way instead of running off with the bait or moving it out to where
> the chickens can get it.
>
> Rats are pretty strong and can easily carry off an entire bait bar! I
> use "tomcat" brand. I've even had them carry off eggs! I find the egg
> out wherever with two little teethmarks in it from their shart incisors.
>
> Stake the cage down! I've learned that some rats will try to drag the
> bait cage off. ;-) These always have a small chain attached to them so
> you can use that.
>
> The warfarin type rat baits take about 5 days to start taking effect.
> The rats bleed to death and will usually die out in the open as they are
> looking for water. Bleeding makes them thirsty. If they do die somewhere
> where you can't find the body, it usually stinks for 2 to 3 days. :-P
>
> Good luck!
>
> Rodent control is an ongoing thing.
> --
> Om.
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack
Nicholson


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