Hole in bedding

[pasknucklehead]

That would be so wonderful!! I will keep my cam in there a few more days and freakout when I'm watching it later, thanks, you give me hope!

 

[pasknucklehead]

Hi again everyone, I'm back to these stupid worries about my chickens and the hole in the bedding as I recently discussed about in my chicken coop. Okay, my cam has been out there a week. It surveys the whole inside of my coop. Where I have the pile of bedding I am now noticing that either my chickens or something is laying in the back of the bedding against the wall. I'm also noticing the whole way around the wall on the floor, it's almost like a racetrack, meaning it's all flattened down but it's definitely a little indent. My question is, is that what chickens do at night and also wouldn't they just stir up that whole bale of pine flakes? It's been in the same position for weeks now. Or would they stay away from the bale if perhaps a rat is snuggling in there. I hope I'm making sense.

 

[mowin]

Hi again everyone, I'm back to these stupid worries about my chickens and the hole in the bedding as I recently discussed about in my chicken coop. Okay, my cam has been out there a week. It surveys the whole inside of my coop. Where I have the pile of bedding I am now noticing that either my chickens or something is laying in the back of the bedding against the wall. I'm also noticing the whole way around the wall on the floor, it's almost like a racetrack, meaning it's all flattened down but it's definitely a little indent. My question is, is that what chickens do at night and also wouldn't they just stir up that whole bale of pine flakes? It's been in the same position for weeks now. Or would they stay away from the bale if perhaps a rat is snuggling in there. I hope I'm making sense.

Chicken's roost at night. They don't run around. If the bedding is all packed down every night, I'm thinking rats.

 

[pasknucklehead]

Chicken's roost at night. They don't run around. If the bedding is all packed down every night, I'm thinking rats.

See that's the whole thing I'm wondering about. It's not all packed down , it isn't touched except for the hole in the middle. Wouldn't by now, the chickens would have been all over the pine flakes and had them all over the place if the rat wasn't in there ? And am I correct in thinking that the rat wouldn't make an appearance during the day when my chickens are running in and out of the coop all day? Wouldn't the chickens attack it? This gives me the willies!

 

[mowin]

See that's the whole thing I'm wondering about. It's not all packed down , it isn't touched except for the hole in the middle. Wouldn't by now, the chickens would have been all over the pine flakes and had them all over the place if the rat wasn't in there ? And am I correct in thinking that the rat wouldn't make an appearance during the day when my chickens are running in and out of the coop all day? Wouldn't the chickens attack it? This gives me the willies!

You mentioned that along the walls are packed down at night. Chickens won't be running around at night. Something else is doing that. I'd break up the bale and see what happens.
Maybe put your camera lower and see if you get a picture of what's possibly running around during the night.

 

[Tonyroo]

By the way, don't expect the chickens to break apart a bale of bedding. You have to break it apart for them.

 

[pasknucklehead]

You mentioned that along the walls are packed down at night. Chickens won't be running around at night. Something else is doing that. I'd break up the bale and see what happens.
Maybe put your camera lower and see if you get a picture of what's possibly running around during the night.

I definitely will do that, probably stand on a ladder and hope I don't fall off poking at the bale !!!

 

[mowin]

By the way, don't expect the chickens to break apart a bale of bedding. You have to break it apart for them.

Young chicken maybe not. I could put a complete Bale in my coops and within a hr, the bale would be tore apart.

 

[Al Gerhart]

I have heard stories of some flocks killing mice and eating them and other flocks scared to death of mice. My flock was the latter, terrified of rats and mice till I figured out what to do about it.

You really should have feed available at all times and if you were to start bringing the feed in at night the rodents would just start eating during the day. Search this forum for Howard E.'s posts on rodents, by far that guy has done the most research and has the best advice. Look for his Rats 101 or something like that but all of his posts on rodents are solid information.

The basics though for quick reference are sanitation, exclusion, and elimination in that order.

Sanitation, a treadle feeder with all bulk feed in metal drums or metal trash cans, then clean up everything that rodents can hide in or use as a travel path from their food source to their nesting area. This is usually under 20 feet for mice and under 50 feet for rats. Travel is dangerous for rodents, predators get them when they are not under cover and as they pee and poop everywhere including their trails some predators can see in light spectrum that humans and other mammals cannot see, they leave a bright fluorescent trail along their pathways. You have heard of black lights used to search for evidence, same kind of thing. Biological wastes can be a neon sign with the right kind of vision, usually in a raptor of some kind.

Exclusion, much harder and much more expensive, possible only of the birds are cooped up 24/7. You gotta mouse proof that coop, no hole or slot over 1/2", rodents have to chew constantly to keep their front teeth worn down so thick wood, concrete, even aluminum might not stop them. Galvanized iron or steel does or hardware cloth.

Elimination, poison or traps. Not the best method as it is never ending and a danger to the very natural rodent predators that keep rodents in check.

Most territory will support very few rodents using natural food sources. Setting out a buffet for them with a cheap feeder allows their population to explode in a few months and if you see one, you might have ten or you might have a hundred but there is never just one rodent. A treadle feeder is an expensive investment so do your research and don't trust sites that review feeders and have an affiliate link, they are getting a commission selling and aren't likely to be honest and review all feeders. The feeder must have a heavy counterweight and a spring loaded door or the rodents can just push the darn door open. The feeder should have a narrow and distant treadle so they cannot perch on the close in wide treadle and chow down when enough of them get on the treadle, or just push it open. No plastic parts, no aluminum parts that protect the feed, it is both toxic and soft and easily chewed through.

Best of luck to you on catching that critter making the holes.