Neighbours chickens causing rat infestation

[SpaceRaiders]

Two sets of neighbours to the left of us both have chickens. I love chickens I have no issue with them at all. But noticed an increase of rats recently, with rats scampering all over the place. I counted 5 in next doors chicken coop amongst the chickens the other morning. I then saw two race across my own garden a few days later.

I tentatively mentioned it in passing to one neighbour she was like “ just ignore them, they don’t do any harm” “we can’t put any poison down because of the chickens” “the cat will get them” - said cat is geriatric and on its last legs. Meanwhile both neighbours continue to scatter food on the ground for the chickens.

The pest control came out but he says, not much I can do as long as there’s a source of food the rats will continue breeding. If I take it up with their landlord, it’ll be very obvious it’s me who’s made the complaint and I’d rather not get into a dispute with them. Any ideas how to gently solve this?

they need one of these

@StillWeRise

they need one of these

Thanks so much for this link! I’m going to buy one!

Hope you get it sorted, OP

worth every penny! the pigeons can't eat the feed either

Put bait boxes down in your garden.. they might paus for a nibble on the way

@StillWeRise

worth every penny! the pigeons can't eat the feed either

Excellent!

Why are they scattering food all over? I've had hens for years and never had a pest problem. Food and water in feeders and taken in every night without fail.

@lunar1 I suspect they enjoy feeding all the other birds too. We have a peacock that often visits.

Thanks for this link. I’ll mention it in passing but I highly doubt they’d buy this given the expense.

You have my sympathies - we have a problem on our allotment site; two blokes who don’t clean up the chicken food and their plots and neighbouring ones are infested. We’ve put poison down in communal areas but they ignore it in favour of the chicken food. I’ve asked our local council to start the eviction process. Can you speak to someone in environmental health?

@SweatyBetty20 Sounds like a similar situation, pest guy put down some boxes but he says it’s unlikely they’ll be touched if they have ample supply of grain from the chicken coops. It’s so frustrating. I think I’ll bite the bullet and contact their landlord.

We just found a rat in our coop today. That feeder box looks great, is it just to be able to close it overnight though? We take the feed in at night. Unfortunately the rat was feasting on the food in broad daylight so obviously it was out.

They are asking for trouble if they're scattering the food. We've got a gravity feeder that the can't scratch at and it works well - no spillage.