[grinling]

 If they can't get into the chickens cage then they can't get that food and will not be a problem.

but they will try to dig holes into a secure run and if you see that, then you will need to trap them.
not much rat here, farmer growing wheat, but there was one in next door unwired compost area!!! got caught in netting and died.

[ManicMum]

Yes we've had no problems with rats as there is nothing in run they couldn't get easier nearby: treadle feeder solved the wild bird free-for-all and all the chicken treats are either finished up or taken in or are weedy greenery like what is freely available on every compost heap.

Poo picking in coop and run is easier done daily & makes the occasional major clean much quicker.  It also reduces smell & flies (neither excessive but nicer not to have them).

And store food supplies securely: my sacks of pellets & grain both fit into a large metal dustbin in a wooden shed & I scoop carefully & fill feeder in the run not the shed so any spillage is hoovered up and perceived as a treat (simple souls, aren't they!!)

Otherwise, go for it & enjoy: whatever size or breed you choose will be the best ever!  I currently have 8 of which 2 are plain (pretty) brown hybrids - short-lived & prolific layers, 2 White Star (Olympic & Titanic) who lay white eggs, 2 Skyline (New York & London) of whom 1 lays pointy peach egg & the other lays blue/green egg & 2 Couvray (sp?) (Sparkling & Still as we pretended we couldn't tell whether they were Couvray hens or Vouvray wine!) who lay dark brown eggs.  It makes the egg skelter (or boxes) so pretty & I know who is doing what!!

[cissie]

Thank's all for the advice, i'm so looking forward to getting started and hopefully will be set up by the Autumn i really like the pics of the White Star breed, one more question, can all breeds be put together or are there any you can't mix.

[rosegarden]

We are about to get our three girls in a couple of weeks time and we have been worried about the rat problem because we have neighbours on all sides-but we are working along the lines of keeping the food stored in galvanized bins and removing all feed at night.  Our near neighbours have got 10 chickens and the only rat we have ever seen in our garden was the result of another neighbour putting chuncks of stale bread on their shed roof for birds! one the bread was removered we have not seen any others.  I've come to the conclusion that you can worry about all this stuff to much (as I've been doing since Jan !!!!) and if you fancy some chickens and can look after them to the best of your ability - with some good advice and back up from this forum you should get some girls.  Good Luck.

[cissie]

Thank you Rosegarden, your right iv'e been going from yes to no for months now, but i'm going to have them. Iv'e chosen the coop and am going to keep it on slabs so no burrowing i'm sure with good housekeeping all will be well, what breed are you having??

[rosegarden]

Hi Cissie glad you are going to do it.  We are having just three hens to start with and nothing too fancy - an amber link, staffordshire warren and a blue ranger.  I'm sure you know that these are all hybrids but it seemed a safe place to start.  Our house and run are on  concrete slabs which we had put down and the forum was very  helpful with advice on what to put down in the run.  We have decided to use hardwood woodchips to a layer of 3inches. Once again good luck and keep asking the questions - there is always someone who can help!