Got Rats In Your Chicken Coop? How We Can Help

Whether you live in town or in the country, it’s summer or winter, there’s always a chance that you can become a target for rats.

You’ll often hear that having chickens makes rats inevitable, but don’t believe it.

There’s a way to avoid attracting rats and it’s by understanding the reason why they decide to lurk near coops – it’s because they can smell the food.

They can smell it from miles away, and once they’ve gotten the scent of your chicken feed, they can become the most annoying pests in your garden and your home.

There are ways you can keep rats out of your coop and chicken feed.

If you’ve already got an issue, give them the drive they need to go looking for food elsewhere.

Rats can be smart little (or rather big) pests.

They’re generally nocturnal and will come out at night when they know the chickens are sleeping and can’t peck at them or when any humans aren’t in view.

How to reduce or prevent rats eating your chicken feed

#1. Sweep up loose chicken feed

Make sure you sweep and clean up all loose feed from the ground and anywhere around the coop before turning it.

#2. Make water sources harder to access

It’s also important to close up all food and water sources and make it impossible for rats to chew into these sources (don’t use boxes, sacks, and other easy to chew materials).

#3. Install a chicken feeder that only chickens can access

Install an industry leading feeder that rats and other pests won’t be able to maneuver, but your chickens can.

A Grandpas Automatic Chicken Feeder is an excellent option to invest in for your chickens as it smartly opens when the weight of the chickens step onto the platform.

The trough and the food inside becomes locked inside when no chickens are feeding, and any rats or other birds can’t get the feeder open. 

#4. Increase chicken coop security

Ensuring your chickens are properly secured will also help to keep any intruders out while keeping your hens safely inside.

Fill in any holes in the ground along your fencing and make sure the fence itself goes beneath the ground as this will keep rats from attempting to scurry themselves below it.

If you tend to let your chickens run free range on your property or farm, there are still ways you can build feeding pens that allow chickens to move in and out freely while keeping the rats out. 

It’s important for you to handle the potential problem of rats before it becomes a real issue.

Although the thought of them disturbing your chickens and stealing your hens’ eggs (and the potential diseases they could be carrying) is enough to make your skin crawl, rats also have the potential to kill and eat your chickens themselves if they can’t find another food source and there is enough of an infestation.

Our Grandpa Feeders are one of the best in the industry and come with a 24-month money-back guarantee!

Reach out for a conversation with our team today to find out how a Grandpa Feeder will keep rats away for good!

Take a look at our automatic chicken feeders, or check out our blog for more helpful articles about raising chickens.