Rats are adapted for life next to people whom for some reason this does not please. Very quickly, rodents develop space in utility rooms, buildings for pets and birds - in general, where it is warm in the winter and there is always something to profit from.
The fight against rats in the chicken coop is complicated by the fact that rats eat chicken food with great pleasure, and it is dangerous to use poison, because the bird can suffer.
Why rats must be fought
Hardy, intelligent, cunning animals with sharp teeth survive in almost any environment, and in a building where poultry is kept, conditions for rats are almost ideal. Warm, fresh food every day, chickens never attack, rat menu is varied with raw eggs and even tender young chicken.
For rats, even brickwork is not an obstacle, and even more so planks, drywall and polystyrene.
In addition to being able to significantly thin out chicken stock, these large rodents are carriers of dangerous diseases, including plague, salmonellosis and rabies.
Ultrasound in the fight against rodents
If you keep up with the times, the question about how to get rats out of the chicken coop begs the answer - ultrasound.
Modern devices emit ultrasonic waves that adversely affect rats, causing them to panic, but are not perceived by humans. In any case, manufacturers say so.
There are many models of repellers, with different levels of radiation power. They can emit both ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves, capable of eliminating rats in a couple of weeks, but ...
Firstly, a socket connected to the mains must be installed in the chicken coop. A low-power battery device will not produce the desired effect. Secondly, the device should work around the clock. Thirdly, it needs to be arranged in a certain way.
According to reviews, professional devices operating from a network in the range of ambient temperatures from -40 to +80 ° C, in particular the Russian Tornado 800, can remove rodents from a large chicken coop with an area of up to 800 square meters. m
The universal “Grad A-1000 PRO +” with the ability to adjust power, which is recommended for use on poultry and livestock farms with an area of up to 1000 square meters, is considered effective. m. The main thing is to leave the rats a way to escape, so that they do not go crazy in a closed room under the influence of an unpleasant sound.
Glue traps
Another way to get rid of rats in the chicken coop without harming the bird is through glue traps. There is a special glue, for example ALT, which is applied along the edges of a small piece of plywood, in the center of which a little cheese, bread or cracker is placed.
You need to install the building at night in a place to which hens cannot reach.
The composition of the glue is such that it must be applied in tight gloves.
Reviews about this method of catching rodents are mixed. Many believe that an adult rat cannot be held by glue. And the procedure for carrying out traps with animals does not inspire.
Lure traps
The same problem arises if it is possible to catch a large rodent in a trap with aromatic (cheese or fat) bait. How to get rid of rats in the chicken coop, offer many skilled humanists who do not want animals to die. The capture process can become endless, going in a closed cycle: caught, carried out, the rat returned, caught again, and further in a circle.
As a trap, it is suggested to use a glass or a jar (flower pot) with a piece of aromatic bait fixed on the bottom. The vessel tilts upside down on a plank mounted on an edge. In pursuit of a treat, a rat enters, pushes a piece of wood that falls, and the animal covers the vessel. It is best to install this structure on a sheet of plywood or metal, so that it is convenient to take the prisoner outside the private economy.
There is a way for the lazy how to get rid of rats in the chicken coop. They dig holes of such a size that a large milk can fit, and its neck with a conical part remains above the surface of the earth. A hole with a diameter of about 8 cm is made in the wall of the vessel so that it is above the ground. Put the fragrant bait inside, close the lid. In pursuit of delicious food, a rat gets into a can, from which he cannot get out.
Medications
You need to know how to get rid of rats in the chicken coop at home with the help of medicines and acceptable poisons.
One such remedy is the Goliath drug. Its specificity lies in the fact that the poison begins to act only after 10 days. Smart and cunning rodents during this time have time to make sure that the tool is absolutely harmless, so they eat it. The result is oxygen starvation, which causes rats to leave the chicken coop.
From "Rat" pests die within a few minutes. To do this, the contents of one ampoule are mixed with meat or seeds.
Granular "Ratid", which does not harm the bird, is also considered effective. Its plus is the fact that in its composition there is an additive that promotes the mummification of tissues, preventing this decomposition of corpses. This means that there is no smell of decomposition and microbiological threat.
To prevent the chicken from tasting the poison, they hide it in a special box with holes about 5 cm in diameter in opposite walls. Rats are afraid of a confined space, a hole in the opposite wall convinces them of an exit, and they calmly eat the bait with poison. At the same time, the chickens are sitting on a box.
But for pets, the danger still remains. For example, cats die by eating a poisoned rodent.
Folk remedies for rodent control
In order not to take risks, using poisons, you need to know how to get rid of rats in the chicken coop by folk remedies.
Rats love flour and sugar. Therefore, experts suggest mixing these products in equal proportions with lime, and put a bowl of water next to such a “treat”. This combination is deadly for rats.
Instead of lime, you can use alabaster, and even sugar is not needed. Animals quickly die from indigestion. But these funds must be located out of the reach of the rest of the inhabitants of the house.
Plant lovers also know how to get rid of rats in the chicken coop. Colchicum autumn (from the lilac family), blooming in summer, is very toxic. A mixture of 10 g of the plant and 200 g of seeds should be poured in places inaccessible to chickens.
Chilibuha seeds, from which strychnine is obtained, are mixed in equal proportions with sugar, raisins and grated stearin. The mixture is laid out near rat holes, and boiled beans are poured nearby. Rats will not be in a few days.
Rats die from plants such as nightshade, crow's eye, carapace, antacid aconite, if their seeds are buried.
However, all these remedies are also dangerous for the bird.
Natural rat repellents
How to get rid of rats in the chicken coop without using poison? Only by scaring them away with folk remedies.
The most popular of these is wood ash. Rats are very clean and lick ash off their paws. The alkali that is in it irritates the stomachs of rodents, and the animals leave the inhospitable place. The crushed ash is poured onto the underside of the chicken coop, and one bucket of the product falls on 5-10 square meters of the surface.
Rats have a very delicate sense of smell, and they, like all predators, can not stand the smell of wool scorched by fire, and try to leave the dangerous place with which they smell.
Rats cannot stand the smell of black elderberry, legumes, onions, and wild rosemary. All these plants can be decomposed in the corners of the chicken coop.
The medicinal black root (it is also eloquently called by the people the rat-rat and burdock) has thorns that naturally cling to the wool. Since rats cannot get rid of thorns, they leave them far away and never dig burrows nearby.
Rats leave places where they were "kindly" fed rye crumbs soaked in vodka for several days. The main thing is not to let them sober up and put on a treat as soon as the dishes are empty.
Animals in the fight against rodents
Animals know how to get rid of rats in a chicken coop. The specific smell that cats mark their territory scares off rats. And Siberian cats are wonderful hunters at the genetic level. Sphynx cats also catch rats, but, unfortunately, only on hot summer nights.
More effective hunters are dogs. Moreover, dachshunds and fox terriers do not catch poultry, unlike bull terriers, so you can not be afraid to run them in the house.
Geese and turkeys, if kept together with chickens, not only raise the alarm at night when a rat appears, but can also protect the helpless laying hens.
Hedgehogs are designed by nature to destroy rodents. Therefore, if a prickly family lives in the house, at night it will be under reliable protection.
Professional help
Professionals know best how to get rid of rats in a chicken coop. If the invasion of rodents has become catastrophic, and other methods of struggle do not help, you need to contact a specialized company. Specialists will pick up pesticides, carry out deratization and, importantly, remove dead rodents.
Usually, it is not even necessary to evict a bird, because professional technical or chemical means are safe for it.
Specialists should be consulted, even if the pest control product chosen by someone else’s recommendation seems doubtful. Indeed, the health and life of loved ones, and not just pets and birds, may be at risk.
There are many folk remedies and techniques for getting rid of rats in the chicken coop. It is necessary to approach their choice responsibly and carefully study the recommendations. You should not expect until the invasion takes the form of a natural disaster. Rats are careful, and if you start a fight when they are not enough, then they quickly leave the place unfavorable for life.