How do you get rats to eat rat bait?

[Pilatus]

How do you get rats to eat rat bait (in our case Difenacoum). We only have 15 hens in 3 separate arks , and the feed is in a “Grandpas Feeder” in each of the arks, so very little grain for the rats to eat. I have bought three bait boxes and put the bait in the boxes and put the boxes by the arks with a breeze block on the top of them to stop the chickens or the wind turning the bait box over.The bait boxes have been out now for about three weeks but no sign of any bait being eaten. So any suggestions what food I can put down at the entrance of the bait box, which rats can’t resist eating,to entice them into the bait box.
Many Thanks

 

[milkloss]

How do you get rats to eat rat bait (in our case Difenacoum). We only have 15 hens in 3 separate arks , and the feed is in a “Grandpas Feeder” in each of the arks, so very little grain for the rats to eat. I have bought three bait boxes and put the bait in the boxes and put the boxes by the arks with a breeze block on the top of them to stop the chickens or the wind turning the bait box over.The bait boxes have been out now for about three weeks but no sign of any bait being eaten. So any suggestions what food I can put down at the entrance of the bait box, which rats can’t resist eating,to entice them into the bait box.
Many Thanks

I think it depends a little on what the rats are eating. The bait wants to be similar but better tasting than what is enticing them there in the first place. Where they were raiding cattle pellets I used pasta based blocks (jade I think) and it was like some sort of mass slaughtering. Around game bird feed I believe the aniseed flavour blocks are good. Where they are reluctant to start on blocks I get some peanut oil based paste sachets which they seem to have a liking for and mix them with other blocks. Be careful as dogs love the peanut based stuff and it’s usually one feed kill so pretty hardcore. Lately I’ve had some sapphire blocks (brodifacoum) which smell like chocolate and the rats/mice round the house are made up with them. Seems to have stopped them chewing holes in the wheelie bins anyway.

 

[milkloss]

The only other suggestion is to feed the rats really well whilst the bait is there and then stop suddenly. That’ll give them sore guts.

 

[devonbeef]

How do you get rats to eat rat bait (in our case Difenacoum). We only have 15 hens in 3 separate arks , and the feed is in a “Grandpas Feeder” in each of the arks, so very little grain for the rats to eat. I have bought three bait boxes and put the bait in the boxes and put the boxes by the arks with a breeze block on the top of them to stop the chickens or the wind turning the bait box over.The bait boxes have been out now for about three weeks but no sign of any bait being eaten. So any suggestions what food I can put down at the entrance of the bait box, which rats can’t resist eating,to entice them into the bait box.
Many Thanks

try mixing sugar into bait

 

[PSQ]

Rats are 'neophobic' so will actively avoid anything new along a run, you need to give the established rats time to become familiar with them. Ideally place some 'farmyard junk' over the feeders so they aren't exposed, and as above, mix in something as an attractant like peanut butter, aniseed or liquid bacon fat from a frying pan. The next batch of incomers wont be so fussy.

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

Feed them with grain in the bait boxes until they get used to feeding in there. Then switch to a grain based rat bait.

 

[britt]

Cod liver oil.

 

[steveR]

Rats are 'neophobic' so will actively avoid anything new along a run, you need to give the established rats time to become familiar with them. Ideally place some 'farmyard junk' over the feeders so they aren't exposed, and as above, mix in something as an attractant like peanut butter, aniseed or liquid bacon fat from a frying pan. The next batch of incomers wont be so fussy.

That's what it's called is it? I'll remember to mention it to Herself, when she moans that my traps have not caught anything over the first night!

I find it can take a week before they start using a run again, after putting a Fenn trap in. Same with baited traps...

 

[Pilatus]

Many Thanks I will certainly try your suggestions.

 

[chaffcutter]

@richard hammond does vermin control courses. He says rats can’t swallow unless they lift their heads up, so put some bait in an old tyre on top of blocks, with a secure lid. They can get in under the tyre and when eating have to have their heads up so swallow it.
Seems to work for us, just wish something as good fixed bloody mice!

 

[Dry Rot]

I am with Milkloss, post 3 above. Remove your poultry feeders and feed by hand for a few days. Mine get fed once a day. Less if they leave some, slightly more if they don't, until you get a feeling for the correct ration. That's assuming no other sources of food elsewhere.

 

[Courier]

try mixing sugar into bait

Icing sugar

 

[Ffermer Bach]

Many Thanks I will certainly try your suggestions.

I remember my daughter saying to keep rats away, not only remove rubbish, but get rid of sources of water for them, so I guess the opposite could be put a water source near the bait point.

 

[Lincs Lass]

Mix it with peanut butter or honey

 

[TexelBen]

Try cheap Nutella, mine go mad for it

 

[Jrp221]

Alot of rat baits are Vit K. inhibitors, most commercial layers feed will contain alot of Vit. K so one counteracts the other. Switch the hens to mixed corn whilst baiting, this may also make the bait more favourable. Once the rats stop taking the bait you can switch the feed again.

 

[ridger]

I have a friend who works for a pest control outfit and he keeps my place right, I had a plague of mice back in October and within a day of his visit there was dead mice everywhere, there is also issues with a certain bait (possibly storm not 100% sure?) If they eat it, then eat maize, the maize cancelled out the bait