Rodent discovered last night inside coop

[Chickassan]

Your roosts are too close to the walls that's a big reason they aren't sleeping in there. If you move them out a bit it will be easier for them to use.

 

[aart]

Your roosts are too close to the walls that's a big reason they aren't sleeping in there. If you move them out a bit it will be easier for them to use.

Maybe, hard to tell.

Is the roost outside higher than the ones in the coop?
Is the roost outside the same diameter as the ones inside?
Tho it looks like you have good ventilation in coop, it still may be cooler outside.

Nice setup.

 

[LMVB]

Maybe, hard to tell.

Is the roost outside higher than the ones in the coop?
Is the roost outside the same diameter as the ones inside?
Tho it looks like you have good ventilation in coop, it still may be cooler outside.

Nice setup.

Yes, the roosts are the same size, inside and out. It may be possible, as one noted, that the inside roosts are too close to the walls. We can fix that. Yes, lots of ventilation, and I don't mind them roosting outside in the summer-can't blame them for that when our day time highs lately have been in the 100's. But, do worry about them in the winter, tho ours is fairly mild most of the time. The outside run is completely predator proof, with buried landscaping wire around the outside run, and over the top (we have hawks and owls here). Thanks for all the input. I will check the coop again soon for rodent evidence, but have moved the feeder to the outside, attached roof for now. It hangs from a hang about 6-8 inches off the ground. Thanks for the input!

 

[LMVB]

Maybe, hard to tell.

Is the roost outside higher than the ones in the coop?
Is the roost outside the same diameter as the ones inside?
Tho it looks like you have good ventilation in coop, it still may be cooler outside.

Nice setup.

Thanks for the compliment...I had it custom built but they didn't include a way to close the door--they were home builders, not chicken coop builders! lol

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Hate to sound terrible, but if you have seen a rat there are at least 50 more you don't know about. And they multiply quickly, so I vote start getting rid of them nightly. If they are use to finding feed in your chicken area, and there is no more, they may decide to start biting on your chickens. Again, hate to sound like I don't care about other animals, but I would rather kill rats, than have them eating off my chickens when they are trying to sleep. I guess I feel I am responsible for my chickens and just like I wouldn't stand back and let something harm my family, my chickens deserve the same protection. Rats are predators and need to go. Just my opinion, you have to do what is right and best for your family and flock.

 

[aart]

Yes, the roosts are the same size, inside and out. It may be possible, as one noted, that the inside roosts are too close to the walls. We can fix that.

12" away from walls should be fine.
You could take the roost down from outside......that may well convince them to go in.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Just for information purposes, roof rats look like nice large gray mice, not like the norwegian rats we all think of when we think of rats. Didn't know roof rats' favorite food is blood oranges until I had a 10 year old blood orange tree in my back yard where my hens free range every day. My hens are locked up at night, but rats can squeeze through the tinest of holes.

 

[Arkansas_Chickens]

Has anyone tried the Ultra Sonic spikes to get rid of mice, snakes & moles. Do you know if they are safe for the chickens??

 

[LMVB]

Hate to sound terrible, but if you have seen a rat there are at least 50 more you don't know about. And they multiply quickly, so I vote start getting rid of them nightly. If they are use to finding feed in your chicken area, and there is no more, they may decide to start biting on your chickens. Again, hate to sound like I don't care about other animals, but I would rather kill rats, than have them eating off my chickens when they are trying to sleep. I guess I feel I am responsible for my chickens and just like I wouldn't stand back and let something harm my family, my chickens deserve the same protection. Rats are predators and need to go. Just my opinion, you have to do what is right and best for your family and flock.

 

[LMVB]

Well, now I'm convinced that the rats must go. It's just the how to do it part that I'm stuck on. I'll figure something out soon, I hope. I am pretty sure that if I trapped one, I couldn't kill it myself. And don't want to let it go somewhere else, carrying who knows what diseases. So, I'm stuck with that problem.
As far as forcing the chickens to go inside at night, it's just too darn hot here to make them at this time of year. We'll work on that as things cool down, in a couple months. Poor things just pant all day, tho I do put frozen water bottles in their water container and freeze treats for them on particularly hot days. Thanks for all the input. I've never heard of the spikes, so can't answer that question, sorry!