Springtime is golden for hens. The days stretch a little longer, the garden perks up, and your flock may even start laying a little more regularly again. But after a mild winter, and spring’s delirious surge of balmy abundance, it can also be the time when pests come out to play.
You might have heard wise old hands say it’s ‘a rat year’ – that is, a year when rats seem to be extra bold and suddenly all over the place. That might sound alarming, particularly if you keep hens. But there is nothing inevitable about a rat problem, and chickens themselves are not the cause. In truth, rats are simply opportunists drawn by accessible feed, soft bedding and shelter.
What do they want? (Hint: mostly food)
Rats aren’t showing up to admire your begonias, or hang out with Henrietta. They’re here for the catering. Rats will show up literally anywhere there’s a reliable supply of feed, scraps, or nesting material. So it’s not the chickens themselves that cause a rat problem, but leftover feed and messy runs that are rolling out the red carpet for rodents. The good news? You’re in charge.
Lock down the pantry
The best deterrent is also the simplest: store your chicken feed in a Fort Knox-style container. We recommend a secure metal dustbin or sealed container. This stops rodents from chewing their way in or catching a whiff of the food from afar. As a bonus, keeping feed locked up tight protects it from peckish wild birds and damp, so it’s an all-round hen welfare win.
Close the all-night buffet
Hens aren’t exactly famous for their table manners. But even negligible quantities of scattered grain are enough to snag a rat’s attention. We advise sweeping up spillages regularly and feeding your flock smaller portions so food doesn’t sit uneaten. Anything edible left out overnight is basically a flashing neon “open” sign for rodents, so a quick sweep before dusk works wonders. Remember – a tidy run is nicer for your girls, and the ultimate rat deterrent.
Rethink your dining setup
Your choice of feeder can make a massive difference. We suggest popping feeders on hard standing, like a paving slab, which makes stray pellets far easier to sweep up and stops food vanishing into the mud. Hanging feeders slightly off the ground also helps keep pests at bay. If you want to go a step further, treadle feeders are brilliant – they only pop open when a hen steps on the platform, keeping the food firmly shut when the flock is busy elsewhere.
Play detective
Rats are sneaky, but they’re also sloppy. Keep an eye out for the classic clues – chewed feed bags, small burrow holes near the hen house, mystery droppings, or feed disappearing suspiciously quickly. Spotting these signs early makes it much easier to act before a couple of chancers become a regular nuisance.
A final reassuring word
Spotting a rat can send a shiver down your spine, but it’s usually just a sign that food or shelter has become a little too easy to access. With secure storage, tidy feeding habits, and a watchful eye, you and your hens can rest easy. And the local rats? They’ll just have to take their appetites elsewhere.
