rat-proof feeders?

Sinmara · « **on:** March 06, 2018, 18:54 »

Hello,

one of our people at the allotment is concerned about rats being attracted by the chicken that are being held on the allotment.

Bearing in mind that the college next to us has 120 hens and rats have always been around in the castle grounds here, not just since we got our hens almost a year ago (6 of them). Another person has 7 hens on the allotment. There's also goats on the college grounds next to the allotment, and lots of dogs running around freely. Not to speak of the thousands of rabbits (literally... the island is overrun by them!)

We're very careful not to leave any spilled feed around, the feeders are hung up fairly high and I don't think rats can get to the feed, but I was wondering if anybody has experience with rat-proof feeders?

There's one being sold called PestOff, does anybody have one?

grinling · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2018, 20:42 »

Chickens prefer to peck out of a tray, so depending on chicken size I would just hang. Your run should be rat proof to stop them taking eggs, attacking chickens and eating food. Trap and kill rats or get the allotment to use traps. Store all food in metal containers and wire compost bins.

LILLILEAF · « **Reply #2 on:** March 07, 2018, 05:57 »

Have you looked at treadle feeders?,my boss had a big rat problem she bought one of these feeders,after a few days we have not seen a rat or any rat holes that was 3yrs ago.
There are a few different types, check them out they are brilliant,they are a bit expensive but there is a saving on feed saved by having no rats pinching the feed

.

Sinmara · « **Reply #3 on:** March 07, 2018, 11:25 »

Thank you for your replies

I don't think any rats are getting to our feed - I certainly haven't noticed any diminishing feed. Currently the feeder is hanging high enough for the hens to get to, but also high enough for the rats not to get to (I guess so!). Nothing has pinched any eggs yet either (we collect them promptly after they're being laid, luckily our hens lay pretty much at the same time of the day).

The main reason we want to get a rat proof feeder is so that the guy at the allotment won't bother us anymore about the hens. The enclosure where we keep the hens is on rather uneven grass (we move it around so the chicken can fertilise other people's plots and have fresh grass and we try to plug any holes as much as we can. It's certainly predator proof though.

I'll have a look at treadle feeders!

Sassy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 13, 2018, 09:17 »

Removing the feed when shutting up at night helps. There is always this worry from the ignorant about hens and rats but it needn't be any worse than before with good houskeeping

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rat-proof feeders?

Sinmara

rat-proof feeders?

grinling

Re: rat-proof feeders?

LILLILEAF

Re: rat-proof feeders?

Sinmara

Re: rat-proof feeders?

Sassy

Re: rat-proof feeders?

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