Are squirrels a threat?

[gkeesling]

I live in the country so I can do this. If I see squirrels around I get out my rifle and shoot at them. Squirrel gravy with biscuits and scrambled eggs makes a good breakfast. They are after the food. If you provide more food for them then more will come.

 

[FarmerChick]

they were food.....now people truly treat foods so different in this time.

They are still food here in the south! and anything with biscuits and gravy is YUMMY!!!

If it wasn't for squirrel in the olden days, your ancestors probably wouldn't have survived.....or some food we now don't think of "as food"

 

[WalkingWolf]

I have a nest in a big holly tree next to the pen. They will kill and eat meat if they can, I have seen them carry off wild birds to their nest after small battles. They will tear apart a wild birds nest. They only got in the pen once and I shot the little bugger with a gas air soft pistol. Now it can't do any damage but it sure stings and got his attention. Soon I will have to relinquish them to the stew pot when my chicks start to come out to mix with the other chickens and ducks. It was bad enough watching one run off to the nest with a cardinal the other day.

 

[FarmerChick]

wow interesting.
I never knew that about a squirrel.

 

[Clay In Iowa]

Quote:
I was going to say something similar. Every year I watch a fuzz tailed rat (aka Squirrel) chase a nesting pair of flickers out of a tree hollow and eat their eggs/babies. This year the the rat get's it I'm tired of watching him bully the flickers.

They might snag an egg given the chance but I doubt they pose a real threat to fully grown chickens.

 

[citalk2much]

I don't know you people must live in the land of evil squirrels because I do wildlife rehab and on site we have probly 50 squirrels that live on the grounds. Ton of birds chipmunks baby's of everything and never have I seen a squirrel attack anything other then another. I am here with other rehabs that say the same as me they will not hurt your chicks. Squirrels that go after eggs and babies is out oh pure hunger. Given a choice no way would they.

 

[WalkingWolf]

citalk2much wrote:

I don't know you people must live in the land of evil squirrels because I do wildlife rehab and on site we have probly 50 squirrels that live on the grounds. Ton of birds chipmunks baby's of everything and never have I seen a squirrel attack anything other then another. I am here with other rehabs that say the same as me they will not hurt your chicks. Squirrels that go after eggs and babies is out oh pure hunger. Given a choice no way would they.

There is a lot to eat around here the squirels are not starving, but I just had to send one to the happy acorn hunting ground. Caught him trying to snatch a OEGB chick from the brooding pen. Looks like squirrel and biscuits for dinner tonight.

 

[OPIE]

Dont worry about them hurting your chickens because they wont. The reason you saw one digging is more than likely he burried a nut there (common practice) . As far as them not paying any attention to your cats, Oh they are! They know what Mr kitty would do to there fury little butts. They are just after a free meal. Especialy in the winter. Oh, and tree rats are mighty tasty. Fry'em like chicken..

 

[citalk2much]

Thank you
I love my little squirrels have tons of animals and have never had a problem

My daughters cat was stocking a squirrel one time the squirrel turned around yelled at the cat. The cat ran like a fire was set to funny

 

[FarmerChick]

I had to look this up on the internet cause I just didn't know they would eat a chicken...YES THEY Will.......LOL-LOL

Cheeky little devils!!!!!

Unlike rabbits or deer, squirrels cannot digest cellulose and must rely on foods rich in protein, carbohydrates, and fat. In temperate regions early spring is the hardest time of year for squirrels, since buried nuts begin to sprout and are no longer available for the squirrel to eat, and new food sources have not become available yet. During these times squirrels rely heavily on the buds of trees. Squirrels' diet consists primarily of a wide variety of plant food, including nuts, seeds, conifer cones, fruits, fungi and green vegetation. However some squirrels also consume meat, especially when faced with hunger. [2] Squirrels have been known to eat insect, eggs, small birds, snakes and rodents.

Ground and tree squirrels are typically diurnal, while flying squirrels tend to be nocturnal – except for lactating flying squirrels and their offspring, who have a period of diurnality during the summer.[3]

Predatory behavior by various species of ground squirrels, particularly the thirteen-lined ground squirrel, has been noted.[4] Bailey, for example, observed a thirteen-lined ground squirrel preying upon a young chicken.[5] Wistrand reported seeing this same species eating a freshly killed snake.[6] Whitaker examined the stomachs of 139 thirteen-lined ground squirrels, and found bird flesh in four of the specimens and the remains of a short-tailed shrew in one;[7] Bradley, examining white-tailed antelope squirrels' stomachs, found at least 10% of his 609 specimens' stomachs contained some type of vertebrate — mostly lizards and rodents.[8] Morgart (1985) observed a white-tailed antelope squirrel capturing and eating a silky pocket mouse.[9] Black squirrels in Russia have been accused of pack behavior in the killing and consumption of a dog.[10]