RATS! They won't leavehttps://www.backyardchickens.com/members/grits-eggs.510574/

[Howard E]

How do you make a feeder that the chickens can get into but that the rats can't?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/

Mine has been in use for nearly 2 years. No waste and no more mice in the house.

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Well we just caught two in the snap traps - they snapped several of them for two days then bam, one mistake. Looked them up, they are black rats and are very common and very smart! Those tricky guys never get caught in the live traps, have made several burrows under and through the chicken wire (even the stuff I buried!). Thanks for all your suggestions/help on this.

 

[Howard E]

This might help......

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw120

 

[Grits&Eggs]

This might help......
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw120

excellent - thanks @Howard E !!

 

[Al Gerhart]

Just Google rat proof chicken feeder. Plenty for sale online, a few plans but they are usually wooden ones that won't do well long term, one really decent review site out there on feeders, and plenty of forums and websites with info on treadle feeders.

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Even with a good feeder if you have a compost pile or throw out scraps they still come (I found out the hard way). Found several holes dug into the compost pile ....ugh

 

[Al Gerhart]

That is for sure but at least they are in the compost pile and not bringing disease to the chickens. I'd run the scraps through the chickens first. LOL