Rat holes in my hen run :(

[JillA]

I have yard cats who catch rats, at least the juveniles, but the mesh fencing is electrified so they can't access that area. Would I be safe enough to put bait down the holes? I doubt cats would bother with carcasses but just in case, is there one that is safe around pets?

 

[lamlyn2012]

If any other animal/bird were to eat the dead carcasses it would poison that also. But are the rats likely to die outside?

 

[Equi]

I would not use bait no. They may die anywhere in the coop or outside of it - and if they die in the holes they will stink and infect the ground or attract other pests. Best thing to do is trace the outside holes, block them off and get a good ratter in for a few hours. Lock up the chooks obv!

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I had multiple rat holes in my chicken run a few years ago and the rat man put buckets off bait down the holes and then placed large concrete slabs over the holes. He said the rats would have to eat their way out and die in the holes. He was right and we only saw one almost dead adult rat in the run and it was dispatched fairly quickly before the cats saw it. We didn't lose any hens or any cats in the process so I would say if you are very careful it should be fine.

I wouldn't use the Eridibate which is supposed to be pet friendly. Ratman said they have to eat tonnes of the stuff and die a horrible death whereas with poison they go into organ failure from internal bleeding and die within 48 hours from first ingesting the bait.

 

[Equi]

Still in a horrible way though to be fair...just doesn't last as long.

 

[Nudibranch]

I have used bait in one of those black box things where only the rats can get access. I also covered it with big stones. Haven't seen a rat since. I wouldn't put it into the holes in case the chickens scratch it up, unless you can be sure it's deep enough and then fill them in.

 

[JillA]

Thanks all - have filled holes in and topped them off with bricks or bits of paving slabs, with bait blocks inside the holes first- I did make sure they went deep into the holes. That was yesterday afternoon, some holes had been dug to the side of the slabs this morning but I am keeping a careful eye on them and filling/moving slabs as necessary.

 

[cremedemonthe]

Some of my mates used to get an old chainsaw, take the blade off, attach a long pipe to the exhaust, mix the petroil mix a lot richer and fire it up.
We'd already blocked off most of the holes beforehand, we would shove the pipe down a hole and rev the saw's engine up. The resulting smoke soon had the rats emerging and straight in to the various terriers,lurchers and other dogs waiting for them. Any rats that didn't/couldn't come out were soon over powered by the smoke and died down the holes which we just filled in before leaving. I don't remember very many escapees if any, it'a very effective and fairly quick, unlike the slow lingering death by poison.
It can be done with any old engine car, tractor, lawn mower, van etc.