Off-Grid living trouble keeping rodents out of my Coop

[Cindij]

Hi I've been having a huge problem with rodents eating my chicken feed that's been put out for the chickens daily feeding., this makes it very difficult to set out traps of any kind because they are so well fed from feed. I have tried snap traps, live traps and bucket traps but like I said who wants to work for bait when the buffet is always available? I would love to build a electric barrier that would desimate the rat population but I have bunnies and baby bunnies I don't want to harm (Sigh). My Chickens are in a fenced in area not free range because of predators and I'm also having problems with Ravens scaring and harrassing the poor girls.
So hoping I can eliminate the devastation without hurting my chickens or the bunnies. Looking for the best advice with very little to no cost thanx so much.
Cindij

 

[centrarchid]

How are you feeding the birds? You might be able to make so rodents are less competitive for the feed.

 

[Cindij]

How are you feeding the birds? You might be able to make so rodents are less competitive for the feed.

I feed them their scratch in their coop in the morning and their corn also in the am usually scattering for them with whatever scraps I may have for them. I can make rodent resistant barriers but its not just the chickens having problems the rodents are chewing through wires power cords making pack rat sorties as pack rats do. I don't have neighbors to speak of and am on 3 acres so if I could get the population and numbers down to just maintaining them as they come , that is ultimately my goal

 

[centrarchid]

A trick I use it to setup feeding stations that are elevated with a large bowl containing the feed. Chickens have to jump is not fly up for eats. Setup so rodents can simply jump up into bowl. Look into perches where feed can be placed more than 4 feet above the ground. Later today I can post pictures of how I do it.

I know rodent issues, and lagamorph issues like you might have difficulties imagining.

 

[Cindij]

A trick I use it to setup feeding stations that are elevated with a large bowl containing the feed. Chickens have to jump is not fly up for eats. Setup so rodents can simply jump up into bowl. Look into perches where feed can be placed more than 4 feet above the ground. Later today I can post pictures of how I do it.

I know rodent issues, and lagamorph issues like you might have difficulties imagining.

Ok that would be helpful I greatly appreciate your input

 

[lazy gardener]

Do you use feeders, or are you just putting the feed on the ground? If the latter, you might start putting the feed in feeders, and remove them every evening. Switch to fermented feed, and the rats will not be able to carry the feed away. Be sure your feed is stored in a securely closed metal can or other container that the rats can't chew through. With such an infestation, I'd resort to poison. Remove all other food sources and start using bait stations that are chicken proof, and set out traps. You have a war on your hands. Time to go on the offensive. Don't consider the job done until there are NO MORE signs of rats.

 

[oldhen2345]

Make a rat box- just a low to the ground box that rats can get into that birds and squirrels can't. I made it with wood on three sides and the top overhangs. I set the open side against a wood fence so nothing else would get into it, then put chicken feed mixed with quickcrete concrete in a dish inside to keep the feed dry. The rats will go in the box at night and get the feed. When the concrete sets up from the moisture in their gut, they will die out wherever they came from. If vultures or other animals eat the carcasses, they will not be poisoned or harmed because they will leave the gut.

 

[Cindij]

Make a rat box- just a low to the ground box that rats can get into that birds and squirrels can't. I made it with wood on three sides and the top overhangs. I set the open side against a wood fence so nothing else would get into it, then put chicken feed mixed with quickcrete concrete in a dish inside to keep the feed dry. The rats will go in the box at night and get the feed. When the concrete sets up from the moisture in their gut, they will die out wherever they came from. If vultures or other animals eat the carcasses, they will not be poisoned or harmed because they will leave the gut.

Wow that sounds like it would work great thank you so much for your advice I will try anything at this point and I just so happen to have a bag of quikcrete lol