This Is Why You Use The Rat Proof Chicken Feeder

Rats…

Whether you like it or not, the rat likes to share their space with you and also your chickens in the backyard.

It’s not for the chicken’s company that they like, it’s for your chicken’s food.

Enter the rat proof chicken feeder.

The Rat Proof Chicken Feeder And Your Chickens

Rats have found their way around the world. They hitchhiked their way around the world on sailing ships.

How did they do that?

They actually were not invited on the sailing ships by people, they found their way of the old sailing ships by crawling along the ropes that anchored the ships to their birth before they sailed.

The rats fed their way through the ship’s supplies while they travelled, much to the disdain of the inhabitants on the ships…

And when these ships docked at any land they had to anchor their ships, this is where the rats either crawled along the ropes to land or they can even swim.

So if they were near to land they found their opportunity as they say ”the grass is always greener on the other side”.

So, where there are chickens, and there are rats around, these rats will find their way into chicken runs and chicken coops to get at the chicken’s food.

Uninvited I may say…

I am sure that the chickens in the hen house are not very happy about these interlopers coming in and stealing their food.

This is where eating chicken food on the ground can be a problem.

Not so much if you throw down enough food that you know the chickens are going to eat.

The problem lay with you throwing down just too many chicken pellets or chicken rain that the chickens get their fill of food and are no longer hungry.

The other thing that you just cannot avoid is if you put down scraps from the kitchen and the chickens graze during the day, but as rats are…

They will eat almost anything.

Will I get Rats If I Keep Chickens?

So will you get rats, if they are around it is most probably a given?

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I can not actually say that I have had a lot of problems with rats in my chicken coops in the time I have had them.

So I have never had to go and buy a rat proof chicken feeder myself.

But I will not say that they were not around, as they mainly come out at night.

But some people are constantly annoyed at the freeloaders coming into their chicken pens and taking what is not theirs.

That’s where you need to think of a rat proof chicken feeder.

And I have never heard of a chicken beating up a rat before…

Unless you have then let me know.

And if anyone says to you that they won’t keep chickens because they attract rodents.

You put them straight and tell them that it is not the chickens that attract rats it is the food, and this can happen anyway if scraps are put on a compost out in your backyard.

Does Chicken Wire Keep Rats out?

Rats are very good at squeezing through small places…

In fact, rats can actually squeeze through spaces as small as the diameter of a quarter.

Some of these even squeeze through the holes in the chicken wire if the chicken wire is of your average chicken wire.

If you buy a chicken wire that is quite strong and small of a square shape this wire in fact could keep the mischievous rats out of the chicken wire.

This fact combined with chewing, a thing that rats are famous for, is why the chicken wire is not your best defence against fences especially if there is wood involved.

Rats can go a longer time without water than a camel can.

I bet you didn’t know that…

What Size Hole Can A Rat Get Through?

What would you think if I said 20 mm…

I know…

Rats, as are mice very agile creatures indeed.

A mouse can get actually through a small, 6-7 mm hole and a rat can get through a 20 mm hole.

So the rats are on a winner when it comes to fitting through spaces that only some animals would love to.

What Size Mesh keeps Rats Out?

OK…

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Now your asking…

And there is a mesh on the market that will stop a rat in its tracks, a hardware cloth (wire mesh): Woven, 19-gauge, 1/2-x 1/2-inch (1.3- x 1.3-cm) mesh to keep the rats out.

Chicken Feeders To Keep The Rats Away

The best chicken feeders whatever design are going to keep out those freeloading rats in your chicken coop.

Most are designed to keep the food off the ground and away from most opportunists seeking out a free meal at your expense…

I am sure that you are stopped in your tracks when you see this big rat feeding happily of your chickens feed, and gasp ‘chicken feeders rat proof’ nooo… ‘rat proud chicken feeder’ you say.

Chicken feeders do come in many shapes and sizes, some small for small chicken runs others much larger for a big amount of chickens.

Are there any best feeders for chickens, well we get back to your particular needs and environmental gain?

I am not going to presume that this feeder is going to be better for you if you live in the desert or in the Arctic.

How do I really know…

More or less others online who will tell you this rat proof chicken feeder is the best for you.

So the best feeders for chickens is really going to be down to you.

And the size of your rats!

Only joking…

There again, there are some pretty big rats out there…

But some rats can get very big even a small dog might think twice.

You have probably noticed how your chickens stay clear of the rats…

If there was a big amount of chickens then it could be a different situation, and they could attack in packs

Yes…

Even chickens.

So whichever rat proof chicken feeder you choose, make sure you take in what I have said here and decide if you really need one.

If you have seen rats feasting on your chicken’s food, then it’s time to think of just such a chicken feeder, don’t you…

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