Rat Proof Chicken Coop: Easy Ways To Keep Rats From Hens

Rat Proof Chicken Coop: Simple Ways To Keep Rats Away From Your Chickens

Rats can be a problem all year round, but when the cold weather kicks in, they start looking for warm, sheltered places with easy access to food. A chicken coop provides exactly that combination, unless of course, you take a few simple steps to make it less inviting. In this post, I’ll explain how to create a rat proof chicken coop, how to keep rats away from your chickens, and the practical habits that genuinely work in UK gardens in all seasons.

Why a rat proof chicken coop matters

Although not as predetory as foxes, rats can attack and kill chickens. However, rather than risk taking on a healthy bird, they will usually go for chicks or hens that are weak, injured and vulnerable. Most of the time they are found around a chicken coop, what they are after is food, water and shelter. Food, in the case of rats, also includes your eggs!

You’re most likely to find rats in winter, when food, water and shelter attracts them to gardens and coops – a few cosy hiding places, a bit of spilt feed and a warm outbuilding create the perfect conditions for these rodents to settle.

Besides attacks, rats cause several other problems for chicken keepers. They spread diseases such as leptospirosis and salmonella, they contaminate feed with droppings and urine, and they will steal a surprising amount of food each night. They can also gnaw wood, plastic and wiring, weaken floors and create gaps that other predators, such as foxes, can use.

A rat proof chicken coop is therefore essential to keep your flock safer, protect your feed bill and prevent problems spreading to neighbours.

Early signs of rats in a chicken coop or run

Spotting activity early makes everything easier. Keep an eye out for:

• Droppings: rat droppings are blunt and raisin shaped, unlike the small, pointed droppings left by mice
• Rats digging under chicken coop bases, particularly after rain when burrows collapse more easily
• Chewed corners on timber, water containers or feed bags
• Smear marks on walls or boards where rats run the same path each night
• Straight, worn tracks through grass
• Noises under sheds or floors after dark
• Feed contamination: e.g. droppings mixed into the feed, wet or clumped pellets where rats have urinated, an unusual smell, or feed that has clearly been scratched or scattered overnight.

If you notice feed going down faster than expected, or hens suddenly seem reluctant to eat from a feeder, it may be a sign of rats eating overnight.

How to keep rats out of a chicken coop with better feed and water management

Feed control is the most important part of rat prevention. If rats cannot access food easily, they move on to richer pickings elsewhere.

Start with storage. Keep all feed in airtight metal or thick plastic bins with good lids, such as the Srendi Heavy Duty Bin with Lockable Lid. Storing bags on the floor of a shed is one of the quickest ways to attract rats.

Then look at the feeder itself. To keep rats out of the chicken coop and run:

• Use covered feeders that stop hens flicking food everywhere
• Stand feeders on slabs so you can sweep up spills
• Keep portions sensible so hens are not scattering excess feed
• Remove the feeder completely when your hens go to roost
• Use a hanging feeder that rats can’t reach, like the Roamwild PestOff Rat Proof Chicken Feeder Kit

This last point makes a huge difference. Rats feed mainly at night, and taking the feeder indoors is one of the simplest ways to deter rats from chicken coop areas.

Treadle feeders can help too. They open only when a hen steps on the platform, which keeps feed covered overnight. I have had good results using these, although they work best alongside the habits above. There are a lot of cheap one’s for sale, but their reviews aren’t great. If you’re looking for a very good one, try Grandpa’s Feeders Automatic Chicken Feeder. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but is of very high quality and will last the test of time.

Water is just as important as food. Rats need regular water, especially when eating dry pellets, so bring drinkers in at night or keep them somewhere rats cannot reach. Hens do not need water while roosting.

Rat proof chicken run design

A chicken run is one of the most common weak points for rats. Many keepers assume chicken wire is enough, but rats can chew through it and squeeze through surprisingly small gaps.

For a truly rat proof chicken run:

• Use galvanised rodent-proof mesh wire with small openings
• Dig a mesh skirt around the run perimeter, burying it horizontally under the surface, going outwards away from the coop, to stop rats digging under
• Raise the coop so you can see underneath and keep the space airy and exposed.
• Some people recommend putting stone flags underneath a coop to stop rats tunneling in from underneath. I would recommend this for plastic coops, but not for wooden coops as the lack of air and build up of moisture may lead to the wood rotting or cause fungus to grow.
• Repair any chewed timber or plastic straightaway
• Seal all gaps around doors, corners and floors

Stopping rats digging under chicken coop bases often comes down to blocking access to cavities. Solid floors, secure mesh bases or raised designs make it far harder for rats to nest.

Garden maintenance that reduces rat problems around chickens

Rats prefer quiet, sheltered corners where they can move unseen. Tidying your garden genuinely helps keep rats away from your chickens.

Focus on:

• Cutting back dense shrubs near the coop
• Clearing piles of timber, pots, bricks and unused equipment
• Blocking gaps under sheds, decking and garden steps
• Keeping compost in sealed bins rather than open heaps
• Moving lightweight runs occasionally to disrupt established tunnels

Rats are wary of change. Even small shifts in layout can discourage them from settling, especially in winter when good shelter is scarce.

Safe and chicken friendly rat traps

If you already have rats in the chicken coop or run, traps may help, as long as they are used safely.

Do not use traps with poison as this could potentially be touched by children or eaten by chickens, other pets and wildlife. Also, you should never use glue traps as these are inhumane and are restricted in the UK. They can only be used by professional pest control companies under strict licensing for specific situations.)

Chicken safe rat trap options include:

• Snap traps inside secure tunnels or boxes
• Electronic traps in dry, sheltered buildings
• Baited boxes designed to exclude hens and wildlife
• Here is a selection of Rat Traps from Amazon, including non-lethal traps.

Avoid placing any trap directly in the run. Always use protective housings so hens, wild birds, hedgehogs and pets cannot access them.

Traps work best when used alongside feed control and coop proofing. If rats still have access to an easy meal, they often ignore traps.

When to bring in professional rat control

Some situations need professional support, especially if:

• Rats are active in daylight
• There is heavy tunnelling under sheds or hard standings
• Traps are not working
• You suspect a large colony nearby

Professionals can use stronger treatments and know how to minimise risks to hens and wildlife. They also carry out a site assessment and can help you identify the exact entry points that need attention.

Ongoing chicken coop rodent control for UK keepers

A rat proof chicken house stays rat proof only if you keep up simple maintenance. Make these habits part of your routine:

• Store all feed in sealed containers
• Bring feeders and drinkers in each evening
• Check for fresh holes weekly
• Keep gardens tidy, especially in winter
• Inspect coop floors and corners for damage
• Shift loose bedding or woodchip occasionally to expose buried runs

With these routines in place, most UK keepers see little more than an occasional visitor, even in colder months when activity peaks.

Key takeaways

• Rats visit coops for food, water and shelter, not the chickens themselves
• Good feed storage and removing feeders at night are the most effective prevention steps
• A rat proof chicken run uses strong mesh, buried skirts and raised designs
• Garden maintenance removes ideal nesting and hiding places
• Traps must be used safely in protective housings
• Persistent or large infestations often need professional support

Conclusion

Establishing a rat proof chicken coop means removing what attracts rats in the first place. By tightening feed routines, tidying around the coop and blocking the obvious entry points, you make your setup far less appealing to rodents. I have found these small habits make the difference between a peaceful winter and an ongoing rat problem, and they are simple enough for any UK keeper to manage.