Daytime rats eating chicken feed. Not allowed to use rodenticide in my area due to owls, Hawks, coyotes and domestic dogs of course.

[Al Gerhart]

Usually the springs are set at around 4 pounds on the treadle which translates to 10 pounds pulling down on the actual door crank but only 1 to 1.5 pounds of direct force if a rat or rats tried to push the door open. Springs are progressive though, the more they are stretched the more pressure needed to stretch them more. Leverage does that, I wish I was smart enough to design the feeder so it takes ten pounds of push force on the door and only four pounds on the treadle. Physics.... the tyranny of physics.... I think I would need a much shorter door and a longer treadle but then the hens couldn't reach the feed.

 

[RoyalChick]

Usually the springs are set at around 4 pounds on the treadle which translates to 10 pounds pulling down on the actual door crank but only 1 to 1.5 pounds of direct force if a rat or rats tried to push the door open. Springs are progressive though, the more they are stretched the more pressure needed to stretch them more. Leverage does that, I wish I was smart enough to design the feeder so it takes ten pounds of push force on the door and only four pounds on the treadle. Physics.... the tyranny of physics.... I think I would need a much shorter door and a longer treadle but then the hens couldn't reach the feed.

Keeping my fingers crossed I don’t need to adjust springs. So far so good.

 

[Poultrybonkers]

If it was me I’d use poison obviously the hawks and owls ain’t doing their job anyways

 

[RoyalChick]

If it was me I’d use poison obviously the hawks and owls ain’t doing their job anyways

How would you get them to eat it?

 

[Poultrybonkers]

How would you get them to eat it?

I put poison in the holes where the rats go. And when they get sick they sometimes walk out in the open and then I bop em and burn em.