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

[cassie]

They come for food, no food no rats, it is cheaper and more effective to get rat proof feeders than buying poison.

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

 

[123RedBeard]

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

Something like this ... https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/building-a-treadle-chicken-feeder.47900/

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Would a garbage can of water with sunflower seeds on top of the water work as a trap for that type of rat? I know that has been suggested as a good way to catch rats in other threads.
I only had to deal with a pack rat in Wyoming, and that was only once. Those are nasty smelling critters; adorable as all get out with their big eyes and fuzzy tail, but really stinky and destructive.

where did you find this type of trap -- how would I do this? I just put up some wood snap traps, which they will probably avoid, little buggers....but hoping for the best for the morning "catch"

 

[lilmillefleur]

Question -- can rats fit through Chicken Wire?

 

[Grits&Eggs]

Question -- can rats fit through Chicken Wire?

they most certainly can my friend, if I would have known that it would have been all hardware cloth for me, but I have several videos of them running in and out of my double chicken wire like it was nothing....

 

[lilmillefleur]

they most certainly can my friend, if I would have known that it would have been all hardware cloth for me, but I have several videos of them running in and out of my double chicken wire like it was nothing....

yeah, I thought so.
We had a part of our coop that we forgot to cover with HWC--the chipmunks found it and snuck in, ate the chicken feed and pooped in it. We've since covered that up.
Chipmunks are really cute but not enough for me to be okay with them eating my feed.
Rats are a different story.

 

[micstrachan]

I just saw rat turds for the first time recently. Yuck. Finding and sealing all the holes. Recently redid the entire run in hardware cloth, but there are imperfections that still need attention.

 

[Naser]

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

Still cheaper is trigger happy chicken feeder, but the one in the video is very low, it should be as high as possible or the hens will over trigger and leave food behind, crows will learn how to use it.

 

[Naser]

She made a mess of it, you need a Holesaw drill bit.

 

[aart]

where did you find this type of trap -- how would I do this? I just put up some wood snap traps, which they will probably avoid, little buggers....but hoping for the best for the morning "catch"

You just fill the garbage can with a foot of water and float seed on top of water.
Add a ramp or something so they can get up to edge of can.
Can has to be deep and smooth on interior so they can get out.

Snap traps can work. Wedge a sunflower seed into trigger slot before setting, then put trigger end of trap up against wall on their trail. Someone told me you need to wash trap after a successful kill, they can 'smell the death' and will avoid it.