Yuck! Walked into the barn and found the body stuck under the door to the chickens. They attacked the head. My landlord peeked into the chickens the other day and found 2 big rats eating the chicken food. They live under the barn and find their way up where ever there is a crack in the floor. There are cats around here but they don't seem too interested in the rats.?
Poison is not really an option. There are too many little dogs, the cats and my chickens running around the barn. Traps create the same problem. Too many other critters that would trip them and get caught.
So what do you do about the rats?
My crazy thought was to pour concrete down the cracks and holes around the barn, seal them in down there. Perhaps fill up their homes so they move on? Surely all this rain has been flooding the tunnels. Why not flood them with concrete?
As for the chickens.
I will be building a new mini Barn/Chicken coop here soon and they will be moving out of the barn. That should help discourage the rats from having as much free food around for dinner. And hopefully I will be able to pressure wash the poop off the stall door and walls. There is a reason you don't keep chickens in the barn with everyone else. They perch up high and make a mess everywhere.
I have a hen that has even tried to lay her egg above the door. Need less to say, there was a mess on the floor in the morning. My silly chickens like to try and hide where they lay their eggs sometimes. There are 2 that have a little hide out in the hay room and I find the eggs there everyday. Another one likes to go in the goats stall and lay her egg on the ledge along the wall. Sometimes, it's a good egg, other times, it's cracked :{
I plan on having a row of nesting boxes in the new chicken barn. Hopefully they will adapt to them and be happy hens. I'm thinking there is going to be a fenced in play yard as well. That way they can be outside even when I'm not home. Put a few whirly toys on the top to keep the Eagles away.
I Need to find a way to get the wood from the lumber yard, and hopefully my grandson wants to learn how to build something and use power tools! He makes the best helper.
Blessed by God
Life's good @ the Bright side of the Barn
Thanks for stopping by
Until next time, Stay safe and Happy Trails.