we use the same thing for rats, it makes me nervous, but it's the only way for a rat problem, they are too smart for traps.I keep feed and water outside of coop. It matches my management of opening the coop door every morning and not locking chickens in coop during cold weather. The use of tarps for corner or sides of prevailing wind makes for the wind shield to protect birds. It's virtually same temp as in the coop and they prefer to be outside unless there is snow on ground in which case you need to shovel it and put a thin layer of hay down or they don't want to walk on it. You can make a small stand and hang the feed under it, I always have coops on stilts so feed and water are under coop. Feed should be brought inside each night to deter attracting larger animals and rodents from feeding unchecked.
A system of rodent control should be in place in the beginning of raising birds. Rodent populations will get out of control and that's no fun. Systems for drowning rodents or snap traps in protective container work well enough if started in the beginning. Otherwise chunx bait in tamper proof boxes is really the best way to eradicate them. Never use poison pellets, they get strewn about as the rodents drop them going back to nests. Chunx has to be chewed off so it fits in cheeks, brought back to nest where kits and adults die there.
This is the bait and locked bait box (tamper proof) I'm talking about. I have one of these in corner of run at all times unless chicks are in there. Image is copied from google images.
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