cheap fix to rat-proof my feeder

[medicineman2]

The last couple weeks I've noticed more and more rat droppings around the coop...have trapped a couple, but there seems to be plenty more around.
I made a pulley system to raise the feeder right into an upside down bucket to cover the whole feeder several feet off the ground. I pull it up just before dark and let it down first thing in the morning. Working great so far!
If anyone is interested I can take better pictures.

 

[Duckee]

That is awesome !!! Im interested in materials list & construction info if possible please. The mice are raising my cost per egg through the roof! And I only have 2 chickens....well according to chicken math at least!

 

[medicineman2]

So you can see the type of feeder in the picture it's the smaller size at tractor supply (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/harris-farms-chicken-feeder-7-lb?cm_vc=-10005) and it fits perfectly into a 5 gallon bucket.

materials:
1) feeder
2) 5 gallon bucket
3) carabiner x2 (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-5-16-in-x-3-in-Assorted-Colors-Spring-Link-42694/205883093)
4) small pulley x2 (https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-1-4-in-Nickel-Plated-Swivel-Pulley-43334/205887648)
5) a few feet of rope....I think mine is 3/8 but it doesn't matter as long as it fits on the pulley.
The length will depend on how high your ceiling is and how far you hang it from the wall.

Clip one carabiner to the feeder to hang it from and tie one end of the rope to the carabiner.
Drill a hole through the center of the bucket just large enough for the rope to fit through.
Hang the first pulley from the ceiling directly above where you want the feeder to be (I used baling wire).
Hang the second pulley somewhere outside the run that you have easy access to.
Run the free end of the rope through the inside of the bucket, through the first pulley, through the second pulley outside the run, and then tie the second carabiner to the rope. Raise the bucket off the ground so the rope hangs straight and then slide the bucket up to the top and tie off so it hangs directly below the pulley (I used baling wire for this as well).
I leave it hanging about 6-8 inches off the ground during the day so they can eat and then at night just pull the rope down to raise the feeder into the bucket.
Clear as mud? haha
hope this helps

 

[Duckee]

You are AWESOME! Thank you so much for taking the time to share! Its definitely going on the "honey do" list!

 

[cmom]

Get rid of the rats... I had an infested coop with tunnels around the coop which I assume were rat tunnels. They had built nest in the ceiling and walls in the only coop that had a ceiling and inner walls. When I renovated the coop and took out the ceiling and walls, dozens of rats of all sizes poured out, too many to trap. I bought some rat bait stations and put them in the barn which is right behind the coops. The rats weren't too fond of the bait that came with the bait boxes so I tried different bait that the feed store down the road used. The bait station has a little window above the bait so I could check it daily. Eventually the baits weren't being eaten on and I saw no evidence of them. There were no dead rats laying around. I assume they went into their tunnels and died. Nothing but the rats can get to the bait. I haven't had to re-bait in quite awhile.

 

[medicineman2]

I'm going to have to renovate this fall . I put vinyl down over the wood floor because I thought it be easier to sweep out but I'm pretty sure they are nesting under the vinyl now :/

 

[Al Gerhart]

That is clever but the rats will just eat their fill during the day. If you have mostly full size birds getting rid of rats is very easy, control the feed and you control the rats. Get a treadle feeder. No need to worry about moving it at night if it is a good one. Just add the treadle, attach the spring, attach it to the wall, train the chickens, and watch the rats leave the area in three to five days.