I fear the rats! Is 1x2 safe.

[geekyearthmomma]

I have 11 quail. Four will be in the freezer tomorrow, two breeding pairs and five layers. The pairs are in good rat proof cages (I know because originally built them for my rat) But the layers are in a guinea pig cage. They are in the house but have to go out to the barn. I have a rabbit cage that has a plastic floor and 1x2 wire. My girls are beauties and if I handed them over to the rats I'd be crushed. Will they be safe till I get their perm. home built?

 

[nchls school]

I have 11 quail. Four will be in the freezer tomorrow, two breeding pairs and five layers. The pairs are in good rat proof cages (I know because originally built them for my rat) But the layers are in a guinea pig cage. They are in the house but have to go out to the barn. I have a rabbit cage that has a plastic floor and 1x2 wire. My girls are beauties and if I handed them over to the rats I'd be crushed. Will they be safe till I get their perm. home built?

I do not think that 1 x 2 is rat proof; I just read a post where a weasel went through a 1.5 inch hole and killed 38 of 42 bantams.

 

[Gretchen Nixon]

Will rats eat my quail?! My coop is 1/2" wire but I added a run that does not have a floor on the dirt last week.

 

[dc3085]

Rats can run right through 1x2 without slowing down. If they can reach the quails toes they will bite them off but i doubt they would eat or even be able to eat a healthy quail.

 

[nchls school]

Will rats eat my quail?!  My coop is 1/2" wire but I added a run that does not have a floor on the dirt last week.

Yes, rats will eat your quail should they become hungry. Should they attack at night the quail have no chance at all. I have a wire mesh floor on the runs I use; the birds can get at the dirt and vegetation and still are protected. I do not have quail right now, but I know from experience no bird is safe from rats at night. The birds I have in the runs are serama bantams-pigeon sized chickens and they would be rat food too if not protected.