Ingesting copper can kill rats.
My question is how much fortified feed like TC Senior does it take to kill rats? And how long does it usually take?
We don’t want them telling all their rat friends and have more rats move in.
Good idea or not?
Terrible idea. There is no way that there is enough copper in it to kill them. You are just going to draw more rats.
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Thanks. That’s my concern.
Is there a higher copper rat bait that is not poisonous to other species (no sheep around) that you suggest?
I’d suggest you use terad3. It’s a cholecalciferol bait. In study, and real life use, there’s been no report of secondary poisoning death of non target species. Follow the directions, use locking bait boxes.
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Thank you! That’s the same Vit D3 I get compounded for one of my cats. Interesting. I’ll look into this!
All D3 is cholecalciferol 
Rats are more sensitive to overdose of it than many other animals, but still handle it with care. Primary poisoning of non target species (where animals other than rats eat your bait) is still very possible, so be sure to keep it secure and use good bait boxes.
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a 22 copper bullet could kill the rats
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I’ve had the most success with either snap traps or a terrier. I no longer have terriers so now use snap traps.
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Thanks. I’m not dealing with snap traps and cats are pretty useless.
Snap traps are faaaar less expensive and easier to deal with than bait. The only reason I’d ever even consider poison is the rats around here are so bloody smart and I can’t trap them no matter how much pre baiting I do.
If you haven’t run through your trapping options, pick up a box of those black trex traps and start there, seriously. It’s a MUCH better choice over poison.
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Dumping dead rats out of traps is icky but having dead rats inside your walls get stinky is even worse. Mice are small enough to kind of mummify. Rats not so much.
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The only thing I have caught in my snap traps are snakes. 
Meanwhile, the rats are having a grand time destroying the barn.
I need a terrier.
ETA: if TC Senior killed rats, I wouldn’t have a problem. Their primary food source is the copious amounts of sloppy feed the old toothless horse drops.
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Rat/mice bucket, with only a few inches of water at the bottom, a bit of peanut butter for bait:
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I spent the big bucks on one of those big metal rat traps. Put peanut butter in. Nothing nada. These rats don’t like organic peanut butter. Maybe Jiff?
Saw a heathy looking rat go up the fence into where one of the wild bird feeders hangs. Sucker!
We have rats and rat snakes around here. Ugh. I really don’t want to attract either.
Maybe I should consider, fostering for the Jack Russell Terrier rescue group?
This is part of your problem–you really have to stop feeding the rats if you want to get rid of them. We use a pest service for the house (fear of termites more than rodents, really) and I chatted with the owner about the barn rats. He not only advises that people bring in their bird feeders but that they VACUUM THE LAWN under them. Birds spill a ton of feed…rats are happy to come clean that all up for you.
For trapping–rats are smart. They often know exactly what a trap looks like and why they should avoid it. So bait them (pest guy recommended slim jims) without setting until the rats are eating regularly and no longer afraid, and then set them all. The goal is to catch as many rats as possible in one night. Handling traps as little as possible, and with gloves, will also help.
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Yes you do need to clean up all attractants. That includes grain, bird feed, horse treats, and random lunch stuff. The one thing I haven’t been able to secure is the seed heads on the Timothy. The deer mice get into the stacks and leave little piles of seed casings.
Also getting rid of hidey holes and nesting sites. Any stored rubbish or lumber or firewood is a nest site.
It does need to be a comprehensive plan. Just putting out traps or bait without cleaning up the barn won’t work.
