Rats

[snikrs11]

Yup rats . I've seen online feeders for chickens they're made out of metal and the chicken steps on a pedal which opens the top and then they eat when they step off the pedal the top closes. This is supposed to help rats not get into the food. Do you think a guinea hen would do this? I'm not sure they are as food driven as chickens so I don't know if I could teach them how

 

[cavemanrich]

In my opinion, best way to control, and not feed rats, is to remove feed for nighttime, into metal containers. If you are overrun with rats, that they are brazen, and are feeding during day, you need to get a handle on reducing that rat population. I have my feed in run area, and it gets placed there each morning. In evening, when chickens go to roost, I remove feed. I don't have rats, mice are controlled by my mousers in my Avatar. I also do not want to encourage any other predators, IE, raccoons, skunks, opossums, that there is an all night buffet available.
I know the treadle feeders you are referring to. It is not an "END ALL SOLUTION" Because chickens still like to scatter feed out from those, as they eat.
Some things look great in THEORY, but are not 100% in reality
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Chef JimmyJ]

I have to agree with removing food, that's the cheapest route. 1/2" square Hardware Cloth covering every inch of the run, is another option. Unfortunately, this only helps with Walk-in Guests. If your rats are using a Tunnel System to get in, the entire run floor has to covered as well. A big run can cost a small fortune in hardware cloth...JJ

 

[Shadrach]

I'm with the don't leave food down lot. We have rats here but spread over a large area.

 

[Al Gerhart]

No doubt that removing the feed at night help but when I had a rat problem they fed during the day. Plus you are tied to being in the coop morning and night. The rats will eat just as much and likely start storing feed in their tunnels if the supply is sporadic. Just spend the money on a decent feeder with a counterweight and spring loaded door, it will stop the rats. Just do a search on this site for rat proof chicken feeder or treadle feeders, plenty out there to choose from. You will spend $100 for a decent one, twice that for the more expensive models, but you are already spending that money in stolen feed and risking the health of your flock with the rats contaminating the feed.

Once the feed is secure then start a baiting program if you have a massive population of rats. But a rat proof feeder will do the trick all by itself as long as the instructions are followed for installation and training.