Plastic storage bins. The one I'm currently using holds 100 pounds.

 

I’m quite sure that rats would chew through plastic if given the chance?

 

Yes, even mice chew through plastic. My 30 gallon metal garbage cans will hold two 50 lb. bags of feed (3 if you squeeze). How much feed are you looking to store? Some people around here have been using non working
old chest freezers for feed storage.;

 

Friends use a chest freezer and works great, afraid I designed my coop store room too small for that.
The 30G cans you use must be the same as the ones I’m coming across (behrens brand), if I’m storing 10 bags, seems I could probably squeeze them into 4 cans.
I will consider these and the barrels below, and see which fits best.
I will steer clear of anything plastic as my gut tells me the rats will get in. The barn cat doesn’t get into the coop storage room and after 2 years of zero mice etc just came across a few bags with holes in them. Around here squirrels would never do that! They may pack nuts into bizarre spots but haven’t come across them being pests.
I always figured American squirrels must be much larger as nobody here bothers eating them.

 

Get some 55 gallon steel barrels with removable lids. They go for about $25.00 down here in the States.

 

That’s about the size I’d like thanks for the idea 👍

 

If you currently have feed stored loose in bags and have a 200 rat colony (as is normal with feed stored loose in bags) and you put the feed in plastic barrels then yes they will chew through them. But if you start out with the feed in plastic barrels they will last you for 20 years with nary a rodent problem.

 

I use 55 gallon steel drums with removable lids

 

We use the plain old 31 gallon (or so) galvanized garbage cans from Ace Hardware.
We don't keep more than 4 or 6 bags of chicken feed and 2 bags of horse feed at a time.
Since each can will hold two bags, that's only 4 cans. We don't dump the feed in loose, but put the bags in and open as needed.
The rats and mice are attracted by spillage, and you most likely will spill a few grains scooping the feed out into whatever containers the animals eat from.
The bigger attraction is all the layer pellets scattered by the hens. Plus the eggs are attractive to corn snakes (I've killed some four and six footers over the years - it's an ongoing battle)

 

I can’t seem to find decent sized metal garbage cans. 31 gallon is the biggest! I found bigger but they were $150 each from an unknown source so likely a scam anyhow.
I designed my coop with a storage room to fit 3-4 standard size trash cans. Only plastic in that size.
What do you use to keep mice out? Thanks!

~30 gals is the standard size.

 

I bought some metal cans recently.
USED 1x. Food grade. Includes lid They seal tight.
55 gallons and 60 gallons were available.

I got 2 of the 60 gallon size.

I had priced them at TSC. Size was 31 gallons.
I want to say it was like $ 45.

 

I use plastic garbage cans. I have not had a problem with rodents chewing through. 20 years now. I do however use bucket traps and they do a good job of keeping the rodent population down around the feed area.

 

Oh want to catch the mice? Put a little in the bottom of a 55 gallon barrel. The mice will jump down to the grain but can' get out.

 

Ha! Don't even need to put anything in them in my shed.
I store a couple plastic cans for yard waste, always has dead mice in the bottom.

 

We have a plastic one, probably holds 40 gallons.
When the grain gets less than half full , you want to check
first to see if any mice in there. Mouse can't jump out if low enough.
Then you find the stick and give him/her a permanent headache.

Around here, mice love to chew on anything plastic.

 

We have good luck by ensuring access to the feed room to our barn cats. In my whole life I have never seen a mouse chew through plastic garbage cans. I don’t think they have time while Tommy is watching them.

 

They chewed through some nearby friends plastic bins which is one reason why I decided to go with metal. I’m happy plastic is working for some of you here. Cheap/available.

The darn raccoons here squeeze through anything the barn cat can get through and they cause so much more trouble than mice. The cat can manage the barn.