NFR Rats in the garden

[Evan B]

Save me the $90/mo exterminator service expense. I think we can solve this with our collective knowledge!

We have a garden along with a chicken coop. So all the goodies have attracted some rats that live behind our retaining wall (garden and chicken cook are right at the top of the wall. I've been spotting the rats from inside the house seeing them pop out from behind the wall. I'm sure they're snacking on the chicken treats and all that.

So before this becomes a real problem, I want to deal with it, but the "one size fits all" exterminator services just seem like an expense I can get around with some research.

Current plan is getting a couple bait boxes and bait blox strategically placed.

What other tips does the collective knowledge here recommend?

I'd say the chance of it becoming an issue in/under the house is pretty slim.

 

[Zak]

Get a terrier?

 

[Russell]

.177 and head lamp

 

[Evan B]

Get a terrier?

 

[Evan B]

.177 and head lamp

How about a .22 air rifle and the same headlamp?

shit this is going to be like @DanielOcean 's squirrel thread isn't it

 

[TicTokCroc]

Get a terrier?

Was about to say this

 

[Russell]

How about a .22 air rifle and the same headlamp?

shit this is going to be like @DanielOcean 's squirrel thread isn't it

Add a six pack and I think you have it

 

[M_D]

I use a pellet rifle or snap traps cuz my eco side doesn’t want an owl or some other predator getting poisoned eating a rat that’s visited a bait station….but that’s me.

I suppose snap traps wouldn’t work with chickens, though

 

[TicTokCroc]

Nip this in the butt fast because these rats will ruin your life. Back when I had a house in Portland we did the standard "backyard chicken coop thing" started seeing a few rats didn't think much of it till they found the garage, then it was too late. Turned into a hazmat suit nightmare of cleaning every square inch of the garage with bleach and throwing a ton of shit away, including all my camping gear which I still haven't replaced. They pee and poop on everything and male rats drag their urine soaked nuts around to make sent trails

Our rat terrior lived up to her name, she was a rat killing lunatic. Pellet gun took a few, traps took a few, it was a multi front war when they got established. Take the food away and they eat the chicken poop. I would rely heavily on traps all over the place then just wear them down and keep the place free of spilled chicken food.

 

[Tom Butler]

My sons got chickens. Mostly it's about management I think. Keep the area really tidy. Metal traps along fence/shed edges and inside walls will collect a lot. I'm not sure this is what he uses but looks similar.
https://www.zoro.com/jt-eaton-420-r...8GcZFUYjpfXqptiRhJbz20lI-so26YgYaAsrMEALw_wcB

 

[Stonedfish]

Had a rat problem once. Found the source to be my bird and suet feeders.
The only downside to bait is they can be super stinky bastards if they die in a tough place to retrieve them.
Other unintended critters can also get the bait.
There are some interesting live trap bucket contraptions ideas out there on the web that might be worth exploring. I haven't used them myself.
SF

 

[Dustin Chromers]

Cats. Female cats are perhaps nature's most perfect predator.

 

[Josh]

Evan 4 weeks from now...

 

[Ron McNeal]

I catch an occasional rat in the leg-hold traps that are set out for coons.

 

[Pink Nighty]

When we had ducks we had a similar issue. Sounds like you know where they travel which was the big key for me. They were moving between our coop and the fence in our yard, which was a small gap. After snap and glue traps didnt solve the problem and they still used that highway, I realized they used it because predators couldnt get back there. Pulled the coop a foot off the fence so the cat could patrol it and after that I only saw them as headless offerings on the porch.

I've seen poison traps that dont allow the rat to escape, and you just collect the carcs out of them periodically. Solves the issue of passing the poison up the food chain.

 

[Porter2]

Cats is no 1.

but some have used coyote urine/peppermint/ammonia or some homemade type solutions to deter them.....this doesn't kill them tho....cats eat those critters and leave you an organ or two behind. Plus you can take off for a long weekend and not worry about them.

 

[mcswny]

My cat is a rat killer.
Granted, we found him in a bar as a kitten in Brooklyn.
Rat killing is life.

 

[Dr. Magill]

Nip this in the butt fast because these rats will ruin your life. Back when I had a house in Portland we did the standard "backyard chicken coop thing" started seeing a few rats didn't think much of it till they found the garage, then it was too late. Turned into a hazmat suit nightmare of cleaning every square inch of the garage with bleach and throwing a ton of shit away, including all my camping gear which I still haven't replaced. They pee and poop on everything and male rats drag their urine soaked nuts around to make sent trails

Our rat terrior lived up to her name, she was a rat killing lunatic. Pellet gun took a few, traps took a few, it was a multi front war when they got established. Take the food away and they eat the chicken poop. I would rely heavily on traps all over the place then just wear them down and keep the place free of spilled chicken food.

Excellent advice
I’m second the cat advice as well but now you have a pet you might not want

 

[CRO]

the large Victor rat traps are my go too method to rid problem rats. I stake em to the ground so a tail caught rat doesnt drag them away. I place a roof of some type over the traps to keep birds out. If you have squirrels use cheese, not peanut butter for bait.

 

[DanielOcean]

This video was appropriate in the squirrel thread (that @Evan B is clearly trying to sabatoge) and is equally funny here too. Enjoy!