Chckens and rats - does one always attract the other?

[MollieO]

I appear to have been persuaded by ds (5) to let him have chickens. Is it a certainty that we will end up with rats? I can put up with a lot but the thought of those is probably more than I can stand. We would be getting an Eglu Cube so the hen house is raised off the ground if that makes a difference. Food and bedding would be stored in our utility room.

Ewww. I can cope with field mice but the thought of anything bigger is making me feel rather ill.

stealthsquiggle your rat story on an old thread is what promoted my OP. I'm sorry to hear you are still having problems.

Having had a mouse in our house I think we are pretty mice proof now so I hope that the same will be for rats. Have to say if we did get rats then the chickens would have to go.

Mollie - we live in the middle of nowhere in an old house - rats are more or less inevitable and we have resigned ourselves to having to continue to invest in poison. I don't honestly think getting rid of the chickens would make much difference.