| Everyone suffers at some point with unwanted intruders. |
| I have had rats, magpies, jackdaws, egg thieves (suspected workmen at neighbouring properties). |
| General tidyness can put off most intruders, keep feeders inside and hang them up. |
| Close the huts at night. |
| Only feed in the morning, so the hens are less likely to scatter or leave waste. |
| Regularly check the condition of fences and repair as required. |
| Rats |
| Rats have routines and will ignore or mistrust any additions to their area, so poisons and traps can be unsuccessful |
| If you bait a trap but don't set it for a few days then the rat will accept it as scenery and can be caught later. |
| If you regularly move things around and try and disrupt them as much as possible, |
| then everything is always new and they are more easily caught out. |