Newbie Security Question

[edgroger]

Hello everyone, here is a newbie question that I have been meaning to ask. When I was small around 7 or 8 yrs old I saw my step-dad put some 4 small plastic containers almost full to the brim with oil on each of the legs on a hen house he just built.

I think the hen house he built looks like this

I was wondering what purpose does it serve in terms of protection from probably pests? And what kinds of pests would it prevent from going into the coop?

 

[eenie114]

I think it helps keep rats out.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Termites in the coop legs.

 

[LadyinRed]

As posted it helps with the termites trying to eat the wood. I've seen people do it to barn wood also. The oil soaks in and the termites don't like it. Doesn't have to be a permanent thing if your considering doing it.

Aside from the termites anything with any liquid around the legs might help if one had a ant problem. However, I would be cautious around chickens, they may think said liquid to be tasty.

 

[Tala]

Chickens eat termites so much, I highly doubt you'd need to go to measures to protect your coop (if the chickens can get to the legs of it that is), but my other thought would be ants - which again, are not as much of a problem getting into the coop as they are getting into the cat food bowls

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

People do that with bee hives to keep the ants out.

 

[chickortreat]

To keep ants out whithout harming your chickens, build trays around the legs.....think mini pie pans.......and pump a gob of grease from a grease gun into it making sure to smear it right up against the leg itself. If you put these up a couple of feet, the chickens can't reach them and they won't be attracted to it to start with. Of course if you have a ramp that extends to the ground, it will offer another access that must be dealt with.

 

[edgroger]

Thank you sooooo much for the answers guys

Yes, I think it is a precaution against ants. The problem is how to prevent the chickens from gaining access to the toxic liquid? maybe a put a screen that covers up the opening of the container.