chewing small hole in food bag, what would it be?

[eggcited2]

Still predator problems with my chickens. Things are still getting some of them now and then, plus they are getting into stuff in our barn/shed.

We have something that chews a hole in 15lb bag of cat food. The hole is about 3 inches across and almost perfectly round. None of the holes are ever bigger than that, but what ever it is is able to eat through that size of hole. They also chew into the bags of chicken feed and occasionally the bags of rolled oats. But they go for the cat food first.

We put out a big container of dry cat food every night for our barn cat and by morning all of it is gone.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Probably mice or rats. If you keep the feed in a metal garbage can with the lid on tight, you can stop that. They will chew through plastic containers. Anything I am aware of other than mice or rats would rip a bigger hole.

 

[drumstick diva]

you are feeding alot of rodents and maybe worse things. You have to put your feed in galvanized cans or something so nothing can chew in. Your cat has to get fed some other way because he isn't getting most of his food but you have an buffet for every rat and mouse, and things inbetween. You need to set alot of traps because now that the rodents know you are serving easy dinner - they've probably told all their friends. You don't want them spreading disease etc. and if they are still hungry they will go for your eggs, chicks, whatever.

PS maybe it's even feral cats or YOUR barn cat that is chewing holes in the bag. If something is taking his food you put out for him then he is hungry and probably tearing into your feed bags.

 

[yinepu]

A perfectly round, three inch hole is a rat... a feral cat will tend to shred a hole in the bag of cat food.
Since the rat is going for cat food first.. it's looking for protein.. which tells me it has a family to feed.. and probably more little ones on the way..

Get yourself some metal trash cans like the others have suggested.
For feeding the cat.. put his food out in the morning.. and pick it up in the evening..

 

[southerndesert]

Yeah get rid of them before several generations begin sharing your chicken food as they can go through it very quickly costing you mucho $$

 

[eggcited2]

The holes are at the top section of the bag, not towards the bottom or middle. A 16lb bag of cat food is kind of tall. Wouldn't rats chew the hole at their level? The hole is not across the top as if the top was stood on, but an inch or two down from that on the side.

Also I do not see any droppings. Mice and rats leave bunches of droppings. We have a few nice big snakes around and they are great for killing mice and rats, and my outside cat kills any he finds (even rats).

 

[Ridgerunner]

You might try putting a layer of flour down to see if you can get paw prints you can recognize. It is tough dealing with something when you don't know what it is.

 

[eggcited2]

Quote:
Good idea. Thanks, will try that.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I also think rat.

 

[yinepu]

Quote:
Yeah.. rats will chew holes at the top.. on the side.. wherever they happen to be at the time. I'm not sure of their reasoning for doing it.. but I've seen it before.
You won't necessarily find droppings at the site of the bags of feed.. Just depends on the rat and how many you have as to how messy they are