Rats in the chicken coop are a risk and
getting rid of them is essential for your flock's health.
In this article I look at the ten most common methods and my personal experience of some of them, to help you decide which one's best for you.
Please note : Backyard chickens and rodents do not automatically go together. Good husbandry is very important - and very effective - at keeping vermin at bay. This page and others on the same subject are there simply to help you know what to do should you discover a problem.
I was so sure I could never have a rodent problem that by the time I accepted I had rats in my coop, there was an infestation of three separate nests which proved incredibly hard to deal with.
Please - learn from my mistake. Don't leave it. As soon as you see any evidence - take action!
Baby rat or full-grown mouse - could you tell?
Please note :
I'm not advocating or opposing any of these methods. I'm just outlining various popular methods and telling you how effective I found them when getting rid of rats from my chicken coop, taking into account my personal situation and the large infestation I encountered.
Different procedures will suit different situations and not everyone will be comfortable using the same methods.
You need to gather all the information on each method and then make a judgement for yourself as to which would suit you, your family, your situation and your chickens.
This is a long page. To help you find your way through it, these are links to the different sections. Click on any of them to be taken straight to that section.
Effective, but not a long-term solution.
I needed to use rat poison because the rodent infestation had grown so large by the time I recognised it that any other, longer-term way would have been potentially putting my chickens at risk of disease.
But poison should really be a last resort and it's not a topic to be taken lightly. For that reason, I've given the use of poison a page all of its own. Find it here.
This is second on the list because it's the method I have used ever since the infestation of rats I had was brought under control.
These traps are powered by battery. The rat, enticed into the box by a yummy treat, steps on a metal plate. This triggers an electric shock which kills within a couple of seconds.
The main advantages are that it's relatively quick and the rat is killed without blood being spilled, which makes cleaning up easy.
This is my preferred method of rodent control - I've found these traps very effective. See my full review at this page.
Quick and effective, but messy.
How to use them.
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
I've seen these used in a workplace which became over-run with mice. It was not a pretty sight.
How they work.
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
Kind - but the rats may well return.
How they work.
The best humane traps are made of metal. You'll find information on making them from plastic bottles on the internet, but even mice can gnaw through a bottle on a matter of minutes.
An example of an humane metal trap. It goes against a wall wherever the rats are running.
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
Amusing to read about, not so amusing to use!
What they are.
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
If you're a good shot and have time on your hands this may be an option.
Is it legal? And how does it work?
Yes, it's perfectly legal. Although in Europe personal use of firearms without a certificate is illegal, it is perfectly legal anywhere to shoot vermin, as long as it's on your own land and using an air rifle.
If you have permission, it's also legal to shoot rodents on someone else's land.
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
Not an option for everyone - and you need the right kind of cat!
I've found cats to be very effective particularly when combined with the battery operated trap (see here). I live in rural Italy where feral and semi-feral cats are common and, because we have wheat fields, we also have mice which attract feral cats.
When a mother cat had her litter in our shed, then, I had no problem in inviting them to stay.
One of our feral kittens gives Claudia Chicken a run for her money!
If you're thinking of getting a cat to keep control of the mouse or rat population it really needs to be a large barnyard-type animal which is used to living outside and has been taught by its mother how to tackle the problem. Most smaller, domesticated cats are unlikely to have the courage to take on a full-grown rat.
Be careful, too, about how any cat reacts with chickens. It's fairly common for cats to kill baby chicks - after all, to a cat they look just like birds - and some will even take on full-grown hens.
Great if you have a friendly local terrier owner!
I used to work in an old, overcrowded Victorian prison in northern England. There was a massive problem with rodent infestation because the drainage system was old and over-used. The prison authorities dealt with it by paying the local Border Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier clubs to come into the prison once a month, after dark, and let their dogs loose in the yards where the rats were running. Watching the dogs 'at work' was mesmerizing!
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
Wishful thinking - these may work on bugs (although even that is questionable) but there are no scientific studies at all which have found them to be effective in getting rid of rats and manufacturers have been repeatedly warned not to make false claims by the Federal Trade Commission of America. See here for more information.
How do they work?
Advantages.
Disadvantages.
I have written some other pages on the site about getting rid of rats and other rodents which I hope you'll find useful. Click on the pictures to go to whichever you think might help.
I have several pages on this website about rodents in relation to chickens. They range from how to assess whether you have a problem in the first place to how to clean up safely after an infestation.
If you're not sure where to start, clicking on this picture will take you to a page which lists all those articles and gives a brief description of what each one covers.
From there, just click on the link which is the page you think will be most helpful in your particular situation.