[Chrissie]

I notice on your advice page for dealing with rats that you say:

 "One old fashioned poison that is safe is cheap and easy to make yourself is to mix equal parts of corn meal and plaster of paris and place it in the rat holes. The plaster of paris hardens in the stomach of the rat causing death."

Wouldn't the plaster of paris harden in the hens stomachs too if they managed to find any?  Any help to get rid of these pests without harm to the hens would be very much appreciated.

[CDave]

Of course it would. The trick is to isolate any food intended just for the rats away from your chooks. Do a search on this forum - there's loads of really good advice on dealing with rats.

[Mickle]

Hello Chrissey
Rats are best controlled using a MK 4 Fenn trap in a 18"long Oblong tunnel set alondside the pen/wall-side/fence-side/hedge-side
It is baitless and operates on a pressure plate mechanism,
Best results are obtained by installing it in the tunnel in the SET position but with safety catch ON , operate it like that until the Rats/Mink etc get use to stepping on it then after a few days release the safety.
The tunnel is easily made with 18-24" long roughly 8" wide board, its best to have just top and two sides in the construction as it enables you to remove the tunnel to get to the Trap.
The trap spring is pretty strong so it takes some priming but it kills rats very swiftly and its working while you are sleeping.
Changing the tunnels position/orientation at times helps to wrong foot some of the more intelligent ones as can adding a scent.
Reduce the end openings to 4" stop inquisitive Chickens and other pets getting in, blackbirds and the like do not like entering a tunnel.  

[kegs]

I bought some Eradibait recently which didn't do any good at all and finally managed to get rid of my rat with a Rent*kil product in some home made wooden runs.

Here's a thread which might give you some useful extra information.

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=45004.0

[Raven81]

I used eradibait, it took a couple of weeks but got of my rats in the confidence my cats wouldn't be harmed!