The presence of rats and other rodents in a chicken coop must be taken seriously. Not only do they deteriorate this barnyard shelter, but they are also vectors of diseases and parasites that are dangerous for the life of your chickens. Moreover, as these pests reproduce very quickly, it is imperative to act quickly and well to get rid of them.
Rats and rodents: what are the risks for your hen house?
Attracted by the food of the hens or other animals living in a henhouse, rats and all other rodents (mice, field mice, etc.) can easily colonize this backyard shelter and become very harmful “guests”.
Not only do they steal the food for the chickens, especially the seeds, but rats and other rodents carry diseases and parasites that can infect your coop and its inhabitants. Rats in particular can carry diseases such as leptospirosis or salmonella. Some of them are also carriers of swine fever or foot-and-mouth disease, which are dangerous, even deadly, for your chickens, but also for the other animals in your barnyard.
Rats, mice and field mice can also attack your hens’ eggs and chicks. At worst, they can kill them, but more importantly, they can contaminate them, making them sick and causing their death. These rodents also cause stress to the hens, and thus contribute to the deterioration of their health.
These rodents, once installed in your henhouse, can also be the cause of its destruction. Rats, mice and field mice have the ability to gnaw on everything from the structure of the coop to the litter box, especially when it comes to wooden houses.
How do you get rid of rats and other rodents in your chicken coop?
If you find rats, mice or field mice in your coop, you must act quickly to eradicate them, as they spread very quickly.
The food of the poultry in the henhouse is the main cause of the arrival of rats and other rodents in this shelter. It is therefore advisable not to store food and seeds, in particular, which are the main food of the hens, next to the henhouse but in a place far from and protected from these pests. Also remember not to leave bags of feed in storage open.
It is also advisable to place the feeders for your chickens high up, and even better, suspended, to prevent rats and other rodents from easily reaching them. Another tip is to have your chickens eat outside the coop if you can, to prevent rodents from taking up residence there permanently. In any case, the area where the poultry feeds should be cleaned very regularly.
However, if your coop is overrun by rats, mice or field mice, rodent control is the best way to go. You can place traps in and around your henhouse yourself. However, you must move them often because these pests, especially rats, are intelligent and can spot them to avoid them. That’s why you should make sure that you don’t leave your smell on the traps, for example by wearing gloves when you set them.
Be careful, however, not to place poisonous seeds to kill these rodents in your chicken coop. They could be eaten by your hens and cause their death.
The best solution to get rid of rodents in a chicken coop is to call a professional pest control company, the only one able to use the most effective means to chase them away and eliminate them.
