Rats

[etalmadg]

In addition to all of the other risks rats pose, they will literally eat your chicken's feet if you are not careful. I know, I had it happen to mine. I couldn't imagine what happened to my hen's feet, she was molting and being picked on by the other hens and had a little blood under her wings (which is what drew the rat, I'm thinking). It was horrible, she barley had nubs left for toes. I was told by the local feed store that it was likely a rat as they are known for it. I've had a couple of recent rat sightings in my yard (not the cute little garble sized one, but the huge squirrel sized ones), so it makes sense. I have traps and have no problem killing them.

 

[Michael Apple]

In addition to all of the other risks rats pose, they will literally eat your chicken's feet if you are not careful. I know, I had it happen to mine. I couldn't imagine what happened to my hen's feet, she was molting and being picked on by the other hens and had a little blood under her wings (which is what drew the rat, I'm thinking). It was horrible, she barley had nubs left for toes. I was told by the local feed store that it was likely a rat as they are known for it. I've had a couple of recent rat sightings in my yard (not the cute little garble sized one, but the huge squirrel sized ones), so it makes sense. I have traps and have no problem killing them.

They are nasty little devils. I know some folks who decided to raise some chicks out in their garage without a protective top to the brooder. All their chicks were massacred the next morning. Rats have to be controlled like any other predator.

 

[RonP]

Posted to another query.
Hope it helps.:

My understanding is that rats/mice are everywhere.
They will congregate and breed where there is available food, water, and shelter.
Look closely around any fast food restaurant and you will see rat bait stations.

They will eventually come, the idea is to prevent them from establishing a colony.
If you see 1, there are probably fifty.
If you see two or more holes, expect dozens.

Keeping a rat trap/bait station baited 24/7 hopefully keeps the population from establishing near your food source. Once established, they are very difficult to eliminate.

Remember, chickens don't attract rats, food does.

That said, I fabricated black 4 inch circular x 18" long drainage plastic pipe as a bait station.
Placed along the outside of my coop, looks like drainage pipe (not unsightly).
I put a t fitting in the center, capped, for easy viewing once a week.
Inside I maintain commercial rat poison.

My run has food scraps 24/7.
My coop has food access 24/7.
Water access 24/7.

5 years, no sign of rats or mice...

Hope this helps.