A few ideas: (a little extreme but you sound freaked out)
I don't suggest poison due to chickens finding it or the possiblity of secondary poisoning
If you feed and water inside the coop, stop. Moving the food and water as far away from the coop as possible will make the coop less desirable to the vermin. (other end of the run if possible) If you store feed in the coop, put it in a metal bucket or can with a lid.
Find out how they are getting in and out. (they have to do this daily for food and water) Empty the coop and inspect the floor and walls to locate how they are getting in. Check the eaves where the walls meet the roof, are they climbing the walls and entering that way? Tip the coop and inspect the underside for gaps and chewed holes in the wood.
To stop them, hardware cloth the underside and any outside holes and gaps larger than 1/4 inch to prevent access. If the inside walls and floor are chewed thru or rotted, cover them with thin sheet metal (flashing)and cover that with wood. Be sure to clean and repaint the interior to eliminate attractive smells (maybe use Kilz) for ease of cleaning and to show any new chewing and scratching points. If the coop sits on the ground, raise it as high as possible and wrap the legs with flashing to stop them from climbing, this will also ruin the dark spot they like to hide in.
If you raise the coop, remove the ramp and replace it with a perch that the birds have to jump to or design a metal wrapped ladder for the birds hop up to the door. Using metal flashing will create a slick surface that the vermin cannot sink their claws in and climb.
I have one more idea I got from Grampa but it would probably offend the soft hearted relocators on this site so e-mail me if you want it.
Sorry you're having a rat problem, maybe this will help
I don't suggest poison due to chickens finding it or the possiblity of secondary poisoning
If you feed and water inside the coop, stop. Moving the food and water as far away from the coop as possible will make the coop less desirable to the vermin. (other end of the run if possible) If you store feed in the coop, put it in a metal bucket or can with a lid.
Find out how they are getting in and out. (they have to do this daily for food and water) Empty the coop and inspect the floor and walls to locate how they are getting in. Check the eaves where the walls meet the roof, are they climbing the walls and entering that way? Tip the coop and inspect the underside for gaps and chewed holes in the wood.
To stop them, hardware cloth the underside and any outside holes and gaps larger than 1/4 inch to prevent access. If the inside walls and floor are chewed thru or rotted, cover them with thin sheet metal (flashing)and cover that with wood. Be sure to clean and repaint the interior to eliminate attractive smells (maybe use Kilz) for ease of cleaning and to show any new chewing and scratching points. If the coop sits on the ground, raise it as high as possible and wrap the legs with flashing to stop them from climbing, this will also ruin the dark spot they like to hide in.
If you raise the coop, remove the ramp and replace it with a perch that the birds have to jump to or design a metal wrapped ladder for the birds hop up to the door. Using metal flashing will create a slick surface that the vermin cannot sink their claws in and climb.
I have one more idea I got from Grampa but it would probably offend the soft hearted relocators on this site so e-mail me if you want it.
Sorry you're having a rat problem, maybe this will help
