When the ground is frozen, natural food sources like worms and insects are even harder to come by, so our feathered friends depend more on bird feeders for vital calories and energy,' says Eric.

The run in question was perfect for the trial as there have been a number of rooks dropping in for breakfast after I had put the feeders out in the mornings. I was taking the feeders in because I had spotted mouse droppings on the ground near my feeders. Perfect timing I would say to test out a Grandpa’s Feeder! Settingup the feeder No Settings to Adjust: The individually spring-loaded feeding ports are engineered for simplicity and effectiveness, eliminating the need for manual adjustments while ensuring a hassle-free feeding experience. Another easy way to protect your bird feeder from rats and squirrels? Add something that they really don't want to eat! This works for birdfeeders and for how to stop squirrels from digging up bulbs. Your first task is to make your property a terrible place for a rodent to live. This will not eliminate every last rat, but it will help to get them out in the open and discourage them from nesting and making thousands of rat babies in and around your coop. Clean up clutter

Pictures of Grandpa’s Feeder

If rats have chewed holes into your coop or underneath it, fill the holes with steel wool and cover them with hardware cloth or wire mesh. Fill any holes in the soil around your coop as well, as rats love to tunnel. Be adamant about filling holes, if they make new ones the next day, fill those too. These days, with sophisticated, non-toxic, humane rat traps available, unless you aren’t able to control large numbers of rats, or they are endangering people, then I believe rodenticides should not be used. Now, if you’re like us, and your lazy good-for-nothing cat would rather play with rats than hunt them, move onto the next step. Set traps Remember, you’re trying to convince their tiny brains that this is not an ideal place to live, and it’s going to take some work. Rat-proof the compost Rats are creatures of the night. If you’re seeing them during the day, you have a major problem. Either you’re looking at an infestation or they’re starving and so desperate for food they’ll do anything to get it.

Rats have teeth harder than iron. They can chew through a number of things they shouldn’t logically be able to such as: Thomas adds that you should also 'ensure you clean any feeders regularly to prevent disease' and deter nightime scavengers. FAQs Do we need to feed birds in winter?I’m going to say this right at the start: beware the use of poisons. This should be your last resort if nothing else is working. I know it seems like an easy fix to a big problem, but using poison to get rid of rodents could lead to bigger problems down the road. Rats love to travel along the edges of walls as it feels safer. This is the best place to put your traps.