Rat prevention: best sized wire?

Hi everyone!

I learned from reading a few different threads that rats can massacre a covey of quail overnight. From all of the information I have come across, 1/2" wire sounds to be a safe size for keeping them out, and I even read that domestic rats can't squeeze through 1/2 wire once they reach 2 weeks old.

I am getting started with my quail adventure and am gathering supplies to make a nice outdoor quail hutch. I purchased 1/2 x 1" cage wire that is 16 gauge. We live in an urban setting, and the neighborhood is home to rats. Have you had tried and true positive experience at preventing rats in your cages with 1/2 x 1" wire?

I also plan to use a dropping pan to help collect spilled feed, hopefully minimizing the rat attraction due to no direct access to feed falling to the ground. Should I also remove their feeder at night? Clean the drop trays nightly?

I plan to make a long hutch with a solid back and a shelter box at either end, allowing the quail to safely hide when frightened by any rat, possum or cat that roams the neighborhood.

What other ideas do you have to help prevent rats? I welcome any suggestions! Thank you!

rachier8ch said:

Hi everyone!

I learned from reading a few different threads that rats can massacre a covey of quail overnight. From all of the information I have come across, 1/2" wire sounds to be a safe size for keeping them out, and I even read that domestic rats can't squeeze through 1/2 wire once they reach 2 weeks old.

I am getting started with my quail adventure and am gathering supplies to make a nice outdoor quail hutch. I purchased 1/2 x 1" cage wire that is 16 gauge. We live in an urban setting, and the neighborhood is home to rats. Have you had tried and true positive experience at preventing rats in your cages with 1/2 x 1" wire?

I also plan to use a dropping pan to help collect spilled feed, hopefully minimizing the rat attraction due to no direct access to feed falling to the ground. Should I also remove their feeder at night? Clean the drop trays nightly?

I plan to make a long hutch with a solid back and a shelter box at either end, allowing the quail to safely hide when frightened by any rat, possum or cat that roams the neighborhood.

What other ideas do you have to help prevent rats? I welcome any suggestions! Thank you!

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I have personally seen several times Mice going through 1/2" hardware cloth. I never raised quail so I do not know what a mice that small can do with quail. If they are going to be in a raised pens like I see most use---I would wrap the legs with metal for a piece and do not have the pens close enough to anything a rat could climb and jump to the pen. OR invest in 1/4" hardware cloth and/or eliminate the mice--like I got a dozen cats patrolling around my chicken pens and for some reason I never see a rat/mice??? Good Luck

He was talking about rats....not mice. No way a rat squeezes through 1/2" hardware cloth.

KeithKZ said:

He was talking about rats....not mice. No way a rat squeezes through 1/2" hardware cloth.

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I stated what I seen----personal experience and for sure seen the post stating "RAT" And Know a Rat can not go through 1/2" hardware cloth. I bet a small mice could chew on small toes if he wanted.

We found snakes more of a problem so we changed out the 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch to stop them. Down side is 1/4 is thinner so a rat might be able to chew a hole

Rat bait is the best way to control numbers. Leave it at ground level near your cage in a safe spot where only rats can access it (and cats, dogs, children etc cannot). We have a rat problem too with an open stormwater culvert running through the back of the property. They are big suckers too! And bold as brass.

JaeG said:

Rat bait is the best way to control numbers. Leave it at ground level near your cage in a safe spot where only rats can access it (and cats, dogs, children etc cannot). We have a rat problem too with an open stormwater culvert running through the back of the property. They are big suckers too! And bold as brass.

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I always worried about rat poison---worried that the cats would get the dead rats or the chickens and kill them too---I just let the cats get them.

This is a good thread that talks about options for keeping them at bay for someone who has an infestation in their chicken coop/run: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1158156/rat-infestation-in-the-run

I have no use for rodent's, possums, cats (even though I like to pet them), etc....so I have often fantasized about an mote around my pen charged with electrical current around the edges so that when anything wet tries to climb inwards or outwards they ground out like a bug zapper...... but I would just hate it so much as I would be the only one having to clean up the mote. so until I actually implement that lovely idea a bucket full of battery acid and some tasty bait in the middle (that they could never reach) would be my next solution as I hear rats have no issues swimming. I have also thought about those electronic air fresheners that triggers and sprays a mist every time motion is detected. Gee what liquids could I substitute as to be sprayed in their eyes .....hummmm.

I'm against poison :/ we use 1/4" cloth that keeps out mice and rats and use traps for the ones around.

Your poisoned rat can do a lot of harm before and after it dies..