Occurrence: Worldwide. Species affected: All. Age affected: All.

Causes: Norwegian rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the most common rat around poultry houses.

Effects: Rat harbourage around poultry houses is seen in the form of burrows in the ground and under the foundation, litter under the slats, old nests and debris around the house. Most rat activity occurs at night, and rats seen during the day indicate a large population. Rats eat almost anything, including poultry feed and eggs. They can contaminate feed, and they may carry a variety of diseases (ie Salmonella, Pasteurella) and ectoparasites.

Rodents are common external pests in and around poultry facilities and can parasitise poultry. Rodents can eat or contaminate feed, which increases feed costs and affects feed conversion. Additional problems can be produced by the presence of these pests, since they may carry a variety of diseases and ectoparasites.

The Norwegian rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the most common rat around poultry houses. Rats eat almost any type of food, including eggs and poultry feed; 200 adults rats will consume 25 lbs of feed daily.

Rat harbourage around a poultry house is seen in the form of burrows in the ground and under the foundation, litter under the slats, in wood piles, old nests and other debris near the poultry houses. This type of harbourage must be removed for any control program to be successful.

Most rate activity, including feeding, occurs at night. Rats observed outside their harbourage during the day indicate a large population.

Signs of rat activity such as gnawing and burrowing in and around building, droppings around feed, litter under the slats and in woodpiles indicate a rat problem. Old nests may be found. Most rat activity, including feeding occurs at night, so if rats are seen outside their harbourage during the day, a large population is likely.

A large population of rats should be suspected if signs of them are seen. The best time to search for rodents and their excrement is at night in the dart with a flash light.

After the control measures have been completed, rodent-killing can be done by baiting, fumigating, trapping or even shooting. A properly conducted baiting program is easiest and most effective.

There are many products that will kill rodents. The first safe and commonly used baits are the multiple-dose anticoagulants. Products that contain warfarin, fumaric, chlorophacinone or diphacinone as an active ingredient are examples of this type. Multiple-dose anticoagulants must be consumed for several days to be lethal. The effects are cumulative, therefore, it is imperative that enough bait be available for the rodents to eat for several days. These chemicals are safe for people and for non-target animals, because a single dose will not cause death.

Rodent-proofing can be an effective long-term control measure. However, it is impossible to rodent-proof a poultry facility with curtains, wooden side walls and/or dirt floors. Access to the building can be restricted by patching or screening holes in the foundation, thus forcing the rodents to burrow into the house, which makes them easier to detect.

Sanitation involves cleaning around the facility. Rodents are secretive creatures, they do not like to move in open areas; therefore, mowing the grass and weeds on a regular basis creates a less favourable habitat. Removing piles of old wood, nests or any other debris helps to make the area less attractive to rodents and aids in making early detection possible. When debris or tall grass is present, rodents can burrow into a facility and go unnoticed. Rolling the house curtains up and down a couple of times a week during summer months will disturb any rodents that are in the curtains and discourage them from living and/or nesting in them.

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