Rat Proofing and Chicken Door!

[Gabtods]

Okay, so we're new to chickens. I had them as kid on a farm but this is our family's first backyard flock! I'm super excited, and the chicks will be moving out to their coop/run this week. I can handle a lot of things, but RATS are my biggest fear!! And we live in the PNW so they're around! We've used the 1/2inch hardware cloth, built a coop from scratch left a 2 foot skirt on the ground.... anything else I'm missing?

Also, if the chicken coop door opens up in to the chicken run, can the door be left open at night ( weather permitting of course)? Debating the need for an automatic door.
Thanks!

 

[Folly's place]

If your run is predator proof, it can all be considered one big safe coop. If the run is fairly decent but not perfect, your birds need to be locked in a very safe space every night.
Mary

 

[Al Gerhart]

A quarter sized hole is enough for an adult rat to squeeze through and they can chew through concrete, aluminum, thick wood, anything but steel and hardware cloth. I suppose if you have the entire coop and run that tight including the floor covered in hardware cloth you might have a chance at keeping them out.

Keeping the feed away from the rats is the only really iron clad method of preventing rats from colonizing a coop. For that you need a proper treadle feeder.

 

[Folly's place]

Your treadle feeders are great, for larger adult birds. My flock of youngsters and bantams, not so much.
Mary

 

[Al Gerhart]

That is true Mary. Not for the young ones. Bantams can use the feeder if you have a few full sized birds, they will eat from the sides.

 

[Gabtods]

A quarter sized hole is enough for an adult rat to squeeze through and they can chew through concrete, aluminum, thick wood, anything but steel and hardware cloth. I suppose if you have the entire coop and run that tight including the floor covered in hardware cloth you might have a chance at keeping them out.

Keeping the feed away from the rats is the only really iron clad method of preventing rats from colonizing a coop. For that you need a proper treadle feeder.

Thanks! Don’t have hardware cloth on the bottom but do have a skirt and planning on sealing food at night so hopefully that helps

 

[Al Gerhart]

Thanks! Don’t have hardware cloth on the bottom but do have a skirt and planning on sealing food at night so hopefully that helps

+
It won't help, the rodents will eat during the day.

 

[Rickischickies]

I can second this... the rats eat during the day! Brazen!! Ive been cutting off their night time food supply and today I saw an extra large rat scare off my bantam hens in order to feed in broad daylight. I’m thinking now that I will have to take things to the next level!

 

[Carson213]

get farm cats. the local humane society will give them away. they will eliminate rats, mice, moles and gophers

 

[Folly's place]

It's an older thread, but I'll add that many cats won't take on adult rats. my barn cats always left them for me! Poison in bait stations is the only way, sadly.
Mary