How do you rat/mice proof your coop?

[Alex S]

I have been told by many that chickens attract mice or rats, and I really dont want that to happen. How do I prevent this from happening?

 

[kcan2]

I'm not an expert, but I never once saw mice or any critters in my chickens' outdoor run. I attribute it to the hardware cloth apron which was pinned down around the perimeter of the run. You can barely see it through the grass and leaves in this photo (to the left of the chickens), but it's there, under the pavers.

 

[Alex S]

I'm not an expert, but I never once saw mice or any critters in my chickens' outdoor run. I attribute it to the hardware cloth apron which was pinned down around the perimeter of the run. You can barely see it through the grass and leaves in this photo (to the left of the chickens), but it's there, under the pavers.
View attachment 2673368

Good to know! Do you know what causes rats to come to the coop?

 

[jonalisa]

I had rats for the first time this year. I installed 1/4 inch hardware cloth, with screws and washers, everywhere... wherever walls meet the floor, the ceiling and each other. (I installed a cheap night cam to understand how they got in and out.) I had a round hole in a wall to snake an extension cord out to the run... That's how they came in. I stuffed it with steel wool.
In my run, I already had an 18" apron about 10" down, but they still got in.
So I dug down a foot (my run is forest soil - spongy) covered by about 12" of sand) and I laid down strips of connected hardware cloth and screwed it to the framing around the perimeter.
It may feel like overkill, but it's such a relief to not have to worry about rats and mice getting in.
Note: At first I hired a extermination co. who said the poison they use in baits did not cause secondary poisoning (for example if an owl ate the mouse, it would not kill the owl.)
This is a lie. We had an opossum die a very slow, painful death in our yard.
I called the company that makes the poison and they make it clear that there is secondary poisoning and that exterminators are made aware of this. I don't recommend it. That could have been our dog, or our neighbors cat or other wildlife.
You can't kill every animal that tried to get in- IMHO, it's better to make your place Fort Knox and have peace of mind.

 

[jonalisa]

Rats come for the food primarily, but also materials for bedding, warmth, water and a place to lay their babies.
I keep my feed in a metal garbage can.
If you end up needing to use traps, I suggest the electric traps, which provide instantaneous death.

 

[Chickenwalls]

I don’t think live near and large rat population but I know there a mice. I believe that chickens will kill and eat mice as they are omnivores.

 

[jonalisa]

Chickens may or may not kill mice, but mice and rats bring disease. My hens likely did kill a baby mouse that I found dead in the run, but didn't eat it. I'm not sure they would kill a rat... My night video showed that the rat basically had the run of the place and while my hens were probably at a disadvantage in the dark.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

My old rooster killed a rat once. It was flat as a pancake. So they will kill them but I've never had them eat it.

 

[Alex S]

If I place a rat trap, wont the chickens step in it?

 

[Acre4Me]

1, keep it clean, keep feed in metal can, sweep up any spills. Bring in feed at night.
2. Rodents can chew through wood, so at the point where the siding meets the floor is an easy in, so fortify it, use HWC.

3.use an apron of HWC around the perimeter.

4. keep bait stations around. They secure the bait so only rodents will access it. There are many kinds of bait, some do not cause secondary poisoning issues. But, if the rodents never show up and set up house, you won’t need to deal with the rodents.