[clumbaboy]

Hi,
 I usually use a solid block form of poison, you do not get problems with discarded bait around chickens, and its not that expensive. I drill a hole in the block and screw it inside a length of drainpipe and place it round areas of activity, another solution is a powder based poison which you put up a tube and the rats take it back to the nest and ingest it during grooming.
this site does the blocks www.rat-poison.org.uk ,
 just found a non toxic poison at www.flytesofancy.co.uk