Rats and flock block

[SemiSweet2391]

I was thinking of getting a flock block for my hens for Christmas! but then I realized… rats. Would they eat it? Probably, right?

 

[Kiki]

Rats eat any type of food.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I was thinking of getting a flock block for my hens for Christmas! but then I realized… rats. Would they eat it? Probably, right?Keep feed off ground and if you have a pest problem, you may need to pull all feed up at night until you get things under control. Good luck

 

[SemiSweet2391]

Ah rats (pun intended haha). Oh well. Hopefully everybody enjoys the Christmas treat. I have Al’s rat proof feeders so that’s ALL the rats will get to enjoy!!

 

[Al Gerhart]

Break it up and put it in one side of the feeder! As long as the door closes it will be fine. Thanks for the business BTW, holler if you ever need repair parts or repair advice.

OP, yes, even if you hung the block off the ground the rats would jump up on it. What if you gave them a small chunk every day? Just being a grinch.........

 

[FrostRanger]

Depending on the size of your flock I'd just get a few smaller treat blocks. I brought a big one once and only once, they completely ignored their regular feed for several days until I covered it up. Some flocks do OK with a flock block but my experience with it was it caused issues with them not eating their food as they should, increasing flock aggression and them scattering corn and whatnot everywhere hence why I will never buy another one again. At the very least the small ones won't last very long

 

[NatJ]

I was thinking of getting a flock block for my hens for Christmas! but then I realized… rats. Would they eat it? Probably, right?

You could make the flock block available only when rats will not come out to eat it.

Depending on how many rats and how bold they are, that might mean you can give the flock block to the chickens in the daytime but remove it at night. Or it might mean sitting out there and watching the chickens eat so you can chase off any rats that appear, and taking the flock block away when you go away from the chickens.

 

[K0k0shka]

Depending on the size of your flock I'd just get a few smaller treat blocks. I brought a big one once and only once, they completely ignored their regular feed for several days until I covered it up. Some flocks do OK with a flock block but my experience with it was it caused issues with them not eating their food as they should, increasing flock aggression and them scattering corn and whatnot everywhere hence why I will never buy another one again. At the very least the small ones won't last very long

This!
I rarely ever buy flock block for that reason, and when I do, I never leave it there for long periods of time, especially not overnight. The chickens will eat NOTHING else if there's unlimited access to a flock block. It's a treat and should be regarded as such. I put mine in a cage and hang it for short periods of time - while I'm out there refilling water or doing other maintenance around the coop. I sit in the run to hang out with the chickens for a while, do my basic inspections. Then when I head back in, I take the flock block and its cage in with me and put it away. So it never stays out there long enough for rats to find it.

 

[SemiSweet2391]

Ah ok, great advice. I’ve never gotten one before. Breaking it up/just using a little at a time sounds like a great idea.

I’m having a plucking problem so I thought it might help distract them but the last thing I want is to make things worse…

 

[FrostRanger]

Ah ok, great advice. I’ve never gotten one before. Breaking it up/just using a little at a time sounds like a great idea.

I’m having a plucking problem so I thought it might help distract them but the last thing I want is to make things worse…

If they are feather picking I would not get a flock block, if anything they might need more protein. Best way to give them more protein is to switch to a higher protein feed and cut back on treats. I would also make sure they have adequate room (4sqft of coop space and 10sqft of run space minimum per bird) and possibly invest in pinless peepers. You can also put some of the leaves you're likely raking up in the run for enrichment. It'll provide lots of entertainment and won't throw their diet out of whack