Rats eating hens eggs

[Honey08]

As title. We've had a real problem with rats this year. The hens moved into a pen in a spare stable two years ago due to a stoat attacking them outside and then they stayed there due to the Asian bird flu lockdown. They do very well there. Free range on the yard or stay in their indoor pen. However this winter we've really suffered with rats. We have wooden stables, and they're inbetween the inner and outer wood. We've changed all feed bins to metal, only feed exact wmounts of feed in feeders, don't leave any around. We've had loads of traps down (they didn't go in them) and a professional rat catcher out many times. He won't put poison down as we have cats and dogs as well as hens around. Life is just too easy and good, the rats won't gio! The hens now have a pop hole through the stable wall into a secure, fox proof run. We moved the henhouse and found a nest of rats full of hens eggs. We killed the babies but the adult got away. (Royal we, I meant husband did, I thought they were cute!).

But now the hens eggs are going missing every day, despite us going to look several times a day. Is there anything we can do to the nesting box to make the eggs drop somewhere rat proof? Or any ideas to catch rats? We've resorted to shooting them at night! I'm wondering about actually takeing the inner kickboards off the stables so the cats can get to the rats (they know they're there but can't get through the holes). We are going to run the flock of hens down to nothing for a year or so once these four have died, but that's not going to be for a while,

 

[JillA]

Cats have solved my rat problem, so long as they can access the runs. Mine have brought me rats, moles, rabbits, mice.
Rats LOVE hen food, is there any way you can keep food off the floor or out of reach of rats? TBH if eggs can drop into a space, rats can get into it. Get a couple of feral cats, a lot of cat charities are only too glad of outdoor homes for them.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

A council pest controller told me that rodent poison won't hurt cats, as they don't ingest enough of the poison.
We got a man with ferrets and terriers to clear our rats out but I must admit that not having hens seems to be the best cure.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

some cats will hunt rats, many will not. I'd get a pro in (ferrets etc) and then maybe think of how to deter them in future.

stoats will also take eggs if you still have them around (my bane is ravens who drive me batty egg stealing from about now through to June).

you can get rollaway egg boxes that you could have rollaway into something rat proof?

 

[Honey08]

Thanks. I think my cats would catch them, but the rats are in between the inner and outer walls so they can't get them - hence why I may have to pull the inner kick boarding off. The stoat only seems to attack in autumn. I'm pretty sure it's the rats - when we uncovered the rat nest it had hens eggs in it. I think. Ow the feed is kept in metal bins and only fed in small quantities the rats are turning to the eggs. I got to 50% of the eggs today.

Our peat control man says he wouldn't risk the cats, dogs or hens getting at the poison.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Our peat control man says he wouldn't risk the cats, dogs or hens getting at the poison.

I wouldnt either.

I dont know if you could adapt a pet cage to go around a rollaway and still have it so small a rat couldnt get through the wire/bars. the other option might be to keep the hens (depending on how many) in something rat proof until they lay as they mostly lay first thing this time of year? something like a large dog crate within the stable (I have a massive one that 4/5 birds would be fine in overnight until let out) with perches and a nest box in-line it/cover it with wire if needed.

 

[JillA]

Problem is rats have flexible skulls so can get through most wire mesh. I am looking for something to lay under my Eglu run that the grass can grow through but the rats can't get through, looking at very small mesh.

 

[Clodagh]

We use poison and have dogs, chickens and barn owls. Rats rarely die in the open, be sensible with your poison laying and dispose promptly of any corpses you do find.

 

[Honey08]

I'm not risking poison. Some food for thought ideas though. Thanks.

 

[ozpoz]

An old method was to fill an egg with a cayenne pepper mixture - and a china egg can be a deterrent too.

 

[Mule]

I got a nasty shock recently. I had a bucket filled with water which was a whiteish colour because there was some paint in it. I saw something furry and dead in the water. I figured it was a mouse. I took the bucket out of the shed and tipped it over. 4 dead rats

I don't know how all 4 managed to climb in to the bucket and drown, neither do I care. I put some poison in a metal pipe in the shed. The cats and dogs shouldn't be able to get at it but the rats will fit in. The poison is now gone so hopefully the rats have shoved off somewhere to die.

It's ridiculous, not only have I two cats but I also have two terriers. The cats can't be even be bothered catching the mice.
The terriers make an effort but there's so many places for the rats to hide they haven't a hope.