Any one know about muskrats???

CindyG

Songster
9 Years
Apr 15, 2010
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Annapolis County, Nova Scotia
We seem to have one in our pond, saw him out there today munching on something...not a chicken, at least I don't think so!! No, he's fishing out there and enjoying his catch, but would he go after full grown chickens? Also, there may be an otter hanging around, not sure of that, but I think he might try for chicken lickin. I better get some eggs soon, is all I can say!
 
The muskrat will not harm your chickens, but the otter will. They love anything with blood.
 
I had a muskrat that used to sneak into the run at night and get into the chicken feed or whatever scraps were left out. He never even tried to get at my chickens- I think they are herbivores. But as JFW said, you should watch out for the otters.
 
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Muskrats are vegetarian, they won't bother your chickens. The otter probably won't either unless the chicken go down to the pond and start swimming in it. They prefer fish and stuff like mussels and snails.
 
They will/can do some serious undermining of your banks though. Could cause potential flooding if it gets bad enough.
Come winter you could trap them and sell the hide. I made dang good money as a teen this way. They're very easy to catch/trap and easy to skin with a little practice.
 
Wondering about this also, I have some kind of creature in the creek in my backyard, don't know if it is a muskrat, otter or beaver or whatever. My ducks swim there will any of these hurt my ducks?
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"muskrat, otter or beaver"

No on the muskrat and beaver, they eat veggies. The otter might but it would need to be starving, they generally like fish, crawdads, toads etc. They might steal eggs but it would need to be very easy for them, a good coop should keep them out.
 
muskrats will eat fish clams and mussels I catch them fairly regularly on a fish oil concoction of mine I have never seen or heard of them eating chickens. nutria rat are a bit bigger then muskrats while in the water they look a lot alike. an otter will go through a fairly small hole 4-6"
 
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