Rats will kill and eat baby chicks and in desperation will also attack grown chickens. They are known to be carriers of a number of horrific things such as fleas, mites, plague, salmonella, hantavirus and hemorrhagic fever.

Will rats hurt chickens?

Rats will attack and eat baby chickens, and if desperate enough, they will attack adult chickens. They are more likely to eat chicken feed than to attack adult chickens, as that requires more effort and rats are opportunists. A direct attack on an adult chicken by a rat is rare, but it does happen.

How do I protect my chickens from rats?

Most predators can tear through it and rats can bite through the thin wire. Smaller rodents will simply squeeze through the holes. Chicken wire should only be used to keep chickens in, not to keep predators out. Instead, use tightly woven mesh hardware cloth that is one-fourth to one-half inch for the best protection.