Wonder if coop setup is what is attracting rats?

[top of the hill]

Hi seattleattic! Welcome to BYC!

I just wanted to add, regarding the food, we keep our food in metal trash bins with a locking handle (purchased from our local feed store) They sit in a front area to the coop, not in the section with the girls.

We also use pine shavings for the litter and nests. No smell so far, we have the deep litter method. I have been reading on BYC that many people with this litter method only fully clean the coop out once a year! My plan is to do a wash down in the spring. I just ordered some DE to sprinkle in the litter just to be sure that the mites stay away and I give it a rake every few days. looking into building a poop board for under the roost.

Good luck!

 

[seattleattic]

Thanks everyone! And hi to my Pacific Northwest Neighbors! I bought pellets yesterday at the feed store and today will finish the cage. We have DE that we have used on the dog and her bedding, so I can use that as well. The young woman at the store reminded me that I will still need straw for the nesting boxes, so I will still be able to use the straw that we have.

I will post the results.

As for the wood pile, it's so huge and the thought of moving it just makes my bones quiver. But we have to do it.

The feed is kept in a locked shed. The shed is custom-made, so it's like a mini house and the rats don't get in there. And we keep it in a galvanized container, although come to think of it, I bought two bags yesterday and the container is too small for one of the bags. So I guess I need to buy another one, but a galvanized garbage can this time.