What the heck?! Chickens afraid of rats!

[egglicious]

My chickens have been through a lot lately and in general I somehow ended up with a very skittish flock. Recently, two were killed by my dog, which was awful. Well, tonight I went out after dark to close up their coop and there they were, waiting by the run door. I thought omg what now... Well, there was a little woodrat chewing on their flock block! They were scared to death and wouldn't go near it, which they had to do in order to roost. I had to open up the back of their coop so they could go in that way. Ugh. Is this normal?

 

[moetrout]

Well why didn't you get rid of the rat? Afraid? Are you......chicken?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Considering rats can and will kill chickens, i would be afraid, too.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Rats will chew the faces off sleeping chickens. I would be nervous too if I were a chicken!

 

[egglicious]

Quote:

Well, this was a very small rat. It may even have been a mouse. How can a rat kill a chicken? I have never heard of that so please enlighten me. I did a good clean up so that little guy won't come back... little bugger....

 

[ErinG]

They wait until they are sleeping and defenseless.

 

[egglicious]

Quote:
Well, the good thing is I have an eglu, and there is NO WAY a rat can get into that thing. I know lots of people hate the eglu for whatever reason, but it really does keep the chickens safe when it's locked up. A bear can't get into it (although he could probably pick it up and throw it around!)