![Best Chicken Feeder To Prevent Rats [Buyers Guide For Keepers]](https://peteducate.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Best-Chicken-Feeder-To-Prevent-Rats-Buyers-Guide-For-Keepers.png)
Feeding chickens comes with its joys, but having rats around is not much fun. Besides, not only can they can pose a risk to your flock by carrying disease and causing stress in your birds, but they can steal quite a bit of food. And it can be costly!
Rats are also keen to steal eggs, plus, having them around can attract other predators such as foxes to pay a visit.
So, if you want to overcome these issues, making food as inaccessible as possible, concealed from sight and accessible is a priority.
Below you’ll find details of some the best feeders that will prevent rats from visiting altogether!
The Best Chicken Feeders To Prevent Rats
Chicken Feeder Details
- BUILT TO LAST: Unlike other chicken feeders, Grandpa's Feeders have a high quality galvanized Steel finish, which is built to last in the toughest outdoor conditions. Grandpa's Feeders are the original automatic chicken feeders and they have been made and sold for over 25 Years.
- FEED ON DEMAND - Grandpa's Feeders provide Feed on Demand for your flock. At the same time Grandpa's Feeders also provide a protected way of feeding your backyard chickens on demand, allowing them to access their food when hungry, ensuring optimal laying and happy chickens. Grandpa's Feeders also allow a number of chickens to eat at once.
- LARGE FEED CAPACITY: The Standard Automatic Feeder will hold 20 lbs (9kg) of feed. This feeds approximately 6 chickens for 10 days as a guide. The Standard size is suitable for all chickens, pheasants and is designed for smaller flocks of up to 12 chickens.
- SAVE MONEY: Many customers tell us that their Grandpa’s Feeder paid for itself in its first year simply by cutting down on their poultry food bill, not to mention the time saved not having to rush home to feed their chickens every day. The built in anti-flick grill stops chickens throwing food out, saving on wasted chicken feed.
- TRUSTED FOR OVER 25 YEARS: Proven design, sold worldwide. Don’t be fooled, Grandpa's Feeders have been around the longest compared to other companies. Our latest model includes side guards mean that chickens must stand on the treadplate to feed. Having a larger opening enables even roosters with large combs to access feed easily. This is the result of testing and providing customer focused solutions that work! An Automatic Chicken Feeder Solution that Works!
- SPECS - The Standard Automatic Poultry Feeder Trough will hold 20 lbs (9kg) of feed; Includes: Mesh Fence/Anti-Flick Grill stops chickens throwing food out and prevents chicken feed from being stolen by wild birds, rats/mice or large animal
- RELIABLE DESIGN - Use Side Guards to train fowl to stand on tread-plate to access food and protect the feed from escaping; Built of High Quality Galvanized Steel to withstand extreme outdoor conditions and provide excellent rust/corrosion resistance
- CAPABILITIES - Outlet opening enables large comb roosters to access feed with ease; This Trough provides feed to approximately 6 fowl for up to 10 days; Our large box design is suitable for all Fowl and provides feed for smaller flocks of up to a dozen
- SAFETY - Do not use with young chicks as the feeder action may harm them; Chickens must weight atleast 1.8lbs to activate and operate the feeder by themselves; Anti-slip Diamond Pattern Plate protects Fowl from slipping
- PROPER USE - Always place feeder on flat ground; Do not tighten up nuts and bolts on linkages; These have been factory set to be loose and allow free movement; Keep Feeder out of Direct sunlight to prevent Fowl Injury
- A Long-Lasting Feeder for Your Flock: Our treadle feeder is great for bantams, hens, poultry, pheasants, etc. With its 25lb capacity, this treadle feeder can feed 6 full-grown hens for 10 days. Not suitable for chicks
- Large Capacity: Fewer fills for easy maintenance! The feeder holds 25lb of pellets, crumbles, or scratch grains. The lower-lid locks keep out raccoons, wild birds, squirrels, mice, and other pests. 15lb extensions available separately
- Clean and Cost Effective: Innovative design keeps dirt and debris OUT and feed IN. No more wasted feed on the ground; water does not pool on the step. This weatherproof feeder can be placed anywhere and is suitable for all seasons
- We Thought of Everything: Galvanized sheet metal and stainless steel screws for durability, training bolts to familiarize your flock with the feeder, lid locks to keep pests out, and an optional rain cover to keep your feed dry
- What's in the Box: 25lb Metal Feeder, 1 Treadle, 2 Blinders, 1 Rain Cover, 1 Anti-Roost Lid, and Hardware
Finally
Preventing rats does require some proactive thought, planning and consideration, but it is possible thanks to the innovations in feeders and other coop accessories.
These particular feeders are tried and trusted solutions; used by many keepers to keep rats and other rodents at bay.
But, if you are serious about keeping rats away for good, then be sure to invest the right supplies.
Rats are a serious threat to your flock, and should be considered as such. Be sure to consider the following things:
- Rats are often more active in the winter, and move during this time, when food is scarce.
- Rats can attack sleeping or sitting hens, and kill chickens
- Foxes. and other predators, eat rats and can be attracted by their presence,
- If you see a rat during the daytime, it typically means you have a problem,
- Senior rats feed at night, but if there is not enough food to go around, they may attempt to acquire food during the day,
- If you notice rats, or spot evidence of their presence (gnawing, holes, dropping), you nee to act quickly before they breed further,
- Trapping or poisoning rats takes consideration, you need to keep other animals/pets and young children safe at all times,
- Rats carry diseases that can seriously affect us humans. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly if you are bitten or touch any areas where a rat may have been,
- Wear gloves if you have to deal with dead rats,
- Seek local pest control for advice.
Looking for other products for keeping chickens? My following guides could be of help:
- Best Chicken Run Flooring
- Best Heated Waterer For Chickens
- Best Calcium Supplement For Chickens
- Best Layer Feed For Chickens
- Best Bedding For Chicken Nesting Boxes
- Best Nest Boxes For Chickens
I am an experienced pet owner with decades of experience owning a number of different pets, from traditional pets like dogs and cats, to the more exotic like reptiles and rodents. I currently own a Cockapoo (pictured) called Bailey. I am also the main writer and chief editor here at Pet Educate; a site dedicated to sharing evidence-based insights and guidance, based on my vast pet ownership knowledge, experience, and extensive research.