J Youngman

Didn't know they offered seedlings. Those are great prices. Would love updates on shipping/product quality and survival rate.  

Flame Acanthus (it grows as a bush) is the best hummingbird plant I have found, they go crazy for it. Salvia is also pretty good.

Pecans were definitely there before cultivated varieties, they are a native Texas tree which covers a large area of Texas.
The scientific name refers to any pecan, both cultivated and wild, which would include pecan trees from anywhere in the native range.
A pecan from the midwest is not going to be as well adapted to Texas compared to one that is from your local area. Even a tree from East Texas will not be as well adapted to areas of Central Texas.
The more local (or at least more similar to your specific growing conditions) the source of your tree is, the better your tree will be adapted.

The way to measure the life of the batteries in cars would need to be based on mileage just as you would with an engine. Comparison by years would give a greatly biased result (in favor of gas/diesel).

The torque is dependent on how you use you vehicle and what you need it to do. It is usually considered a positive in most vehicles, it may be a trade off in gasoline engines but with diesel it would be very positive.

I would try to keep the chickens area as clean as possible, take whatever you clean out to another area. Let the rats find that area and feel safe, then start trapping them there using the feed as bait.

I think traps can work for reducing the numbers but the traps probably won't be a long term, sustainable "solution".
As long as the chickens are there the rats will be too and you will have to continue to adjust your techniques because they are smart and will probably get smarter since we are basically selecting for intelligence.

You stated that the mess from the chickens is the food that is attracting the rats, would that not be the bait? Instead of removing it, using it?

All pecan trees would be Carya illinoienensis. The natives would be the specific ecotypes found in your local area, vs improved named varieties/cultivars such as 'Desirable' or 'Pawnee'.

Many nurseries offer native pecans at around half the price.

There are hardy fig varieties. I recommend Chicago Hardy. It should do fine in your zone. It may die back to the ground in a very hard winter, but it will come back in spring.