Free feeding and rats

[dlaciv12]

I have developed a rat problem in my coop. I usually keep a large, home-made PVC feeder in there and the girls can free feed. In an effort to eliminate the rats I've decided to remove the feeder and feed them 2 or 3 times a day outside of the coop. I have 8 laying hens all about 2 years old and a rooster who is 3 years old. How much do I feed them?

There are other efforts being made to eliminate the rats but I suspect they will return if I keep the food in the coop. Opinions?

 

[Den in Penn]

You'll have to watch how much they eat in a day. A chicken will eat between .25 lbs and .33 lbs. a day, so yours will eat between 2.25 and 3 lbs. Start by putting out about two thirds of their ration in the morning and the other third in the afternoon. If they clean it up by roost time, you can add a little more. If food is left put a little less out the next day. Do use a trough or some container, both to keep track of how much and to be able to take up the feed if they haven eaten it all. The rats can find it outside too. Long term you might want to consider a treadle feeder or some other rat proof feeder.

 

[dlaciv12]

Thanks so much, this was a great help.

 

[Michael Apple]

Good info. I still use troughs sometimes but prefer hanging feeders. I pick them up every night when the birds are shut in. I believe that's the key. Never leave feeders with feed in them when the birds are roosting. I have to use bait boxes around the barn, but never have rats in the coops.