Do Chicken Coops Attract Rodents?

Worried about rats and mice? Try the “no food, no water, no entry” method

A coop by itself does not attract rodents. What draws mice and rats is easy food, water, and hiding places. If you manage those three things, rodents are far less interested in your coop.

Keeping chickens has many benefits. You get fresh eggs, you cut down on kitchen scraps (hens eat many), and chickens help the garden by scratching bugs from the soil. They’re also fun to watch and teach kids about caring for animals.

Rodents usually show up when feed is easy to reach.

Pellets derramados en el suelo, sacos de pienso abiertos, cubos de plástico finos y comederos sin cubrir actúan como una campana para cenar. El agua estancada bajo bebederos con fugas les da algo para beber. Las grietas, hendiduras o madrigueras les permiten colarse dentro. El desorden—pilas de leña, malas hierbas altas y trastos—les proporciona escondites. 

How small an opening do they need? 

• Mice can squeeze through ¼-inch (6 mm) gaps—tiny cracks along boards or around pipes.

• Rats can get through ½-inch (12 mm) gaps and will chew to make holes bigger.

Guard against it: Cover vents and windows with hardware cloth (wire mesh). Use ¼-inch mesh anywhere mice are a problem. ½-inch mesh is strong for predators; add a ¼-inch liner behind it if mice are getting in. Pack cracks with steel or copper mesh, then caulk or use mortar. Add a door sweep so there’s no gap under the door.

Prevention: “no food, no water, no entry”

Store feed in metal cans with tight lids. Use a treadle or covered feeder and pick up leftover feed at night. Fix drips and keep the ground dry under the waterer. Wrap the coop/run in hardware cloth and bury an apron (8–12 inches deep or laid flat outward) to stop digging. Raise the coop off the ground, trim grass and weeds, and keep the area tidy.

What is a treadle feeder?

A treadle feeder is a covered feeder with a little foot pedal (treadle) in front. When a chicken steps on the pedal, the lid lifts, and the hen can eat. When the chicken steps off, the lid closes. This keeps out mice, rats, wild birds, and rain, and it reduces spilled feed. It’s one of the best tools for keeping rodents away.

If you already have rodents

Look for droppings, gnaw marks, burrows, or scratching at night. Do a deep clean to remove spilled feed and clutter. Take up food and water each evening. Use snap traps or multi-catch traps inside covered boxes or tunnels so chickens can’t reach them; place traps along walls and check daily. Keep sealing new holes as you find them. If activity is heavy, call a licensed pest professional.

Barn cats & safe control

Barn cats can help, but they’re not a full plan. Keep cats out of the coop and run, protect chicks, and still follow all the steps above. For rodent control that’s safe for chickens, rely on exclusion, sanitation, and covered traps the birds can’t reach. Avoid loose poisons anywhere near animals. If a pro uses bait, it must be in locked, tamper-resistant stations placed outside the coop area with a clear safety plan.

Lista rápida de comprobación

• Metal feed cans with tight lids

• Treadle feeder; no spilled grain

• Dry ground under waterers

• ¼-inch mesh for mice; ½-inch for predator strength (+ ¼-inch liner if needed)

• Seal gaps: mesh + caulk/mortar; door sweep installed

• Buried hardware-cloth apron 8–12 in.

• Trimmed grass; no clutter

• Traps in covered boxes along walls

Follow these simple steps and your coop can stay full of eggs—not rodents.