Can Squirrels Harm Chickens or Eggs

[Nambroth]

Quote:
Yes, it could... so could a rat, though. I'm afraid it's hard to say.

So sorry about your chicks.

 

[Pele]

Any rodent under stress will turn to meat and eggs. I had to learn that lesson the hard way as a kid when my gerbils over-bred and turned to eating the babies

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Rodents are the ultimate survivalists, and they do that by being flexible. If they are in a situation where their bodies are screaming for protien, they arn't going to ignore that convenient protien package just sitting there on the branch or in the coop.

Discovery channel had nothing on being raised on a farm.

 

[galanie]

Quote:
I am just curious and you dont have to answer this question. When you say "pot plants" are you referring to plants that are potted or.............?

LOL no, not "Pot" plants, plants growing in a pot. No, not your toilet, a round container that.. oh never mind...

 

[MLWoods]

I am just wanting some clarification, because after reading several threads I am still unsure. Squirrels are getting into the coop and run at my house too. I understand that egg/chick stealing is of some concern, rabies is less of a concern, and stolen feed is expensive and annoying. My kids filled the feeder to the brim, and usually we just keep enough for them to eat one day. Now the kiddos know this needs to stop, stolen feed should not be a huge issue either. What I am worried about are parasites and holes chewed through our hawk netting. Does anyone know if the gray tree squirrels can give my girls any funky stuff?
Thanks,
Lauren

 

[Nambroth]

I am just wanting some clarification, because after reading several threads I am still unsure. Squirrels are getting into the coop and run at my house too. I understand that egg/chick stealing is of some concern, rabies is less of a concern, and stolen feed is expensive and annoying. My kids filled the feeder to the brim, and usually we just keep enough for them to eat one day. Now the kiddos know this needs to stop, stolen feed should not be a huge issue either. What I am worried about are parasites and holes chewed through our hawk netting. Does anyone know if the gray tree squirrels can give my girls any funky stuff?
Thanks,
Lauren

I am not sure-- most types of external parasites are fairly host-specific, meaning that mammals usually can't host fleas/mites/lice that live on birds, and vice versa, but I cannot promise this with 100%. I did a little research and couldn't locate much information... most resources only cite which diseases and parasites are zoonotic from animals to humans, but not between animals.

 

[edgar236373]

actually squirrels can be harmful to chicks and the eggs I live on a farm and trust me their is a lot of those rodents around I have a chicken coop and my chicken had 16 eggs and she was already laying on them and they started disappearing until I got frustrated and put a trap and their was that squirrel in the trap and recently another one went in the cage where I have the chicks and as I was going to the coop I saw it caring the chick in its mouth as it was running so yes those dumb rodents do kill chicks and eat the eggs I say we should eliminate these type of rodents

 

[mandabach]

What I don't see here is how to keep the squirrels out!!

They are my major pest aside from real predators.

I'm about to build my duck pen. How small do I have to go on my fencing to keep them out?

Otherwise, I'll be doing a constant live trap and crosstown squirrel shuttle service!

 

[greasemonkey88]

I posted a few weeks back about myself having some serious problems with Ground squirrels, as they were killing and eating all the baby cottontails in and around my yard I was constantly finding them half eaten and even seen the squirrels eating them


since then I've brought out the old .22 and started an extermination of squirrels because while having my chicks free range my grass on the warm days I had 2-3 of them at separate times chase them around and I know what they had in mind so idk if tree squirrels are the same way but reading up on it in early spring the squirrels are protein packing for their litters and WILL eat little birds, mice, small rabbits, voles, lizards,bird eggs, and so on and a baby rabbit IS bigger than a chick

Squirrels are good eating too

 

[greasemonkey88]

What I don't see here is how to keep the squirrels out!!

They are my major pest aside from real predators.

I'm about to build my duck pen. How small do I have to go on my fencing to keep them out?

Otherwise, I'll be doing a constant live trap and crosstown squirrel shuttle service!

Only way I could see it possible is hardware cloth. Everywhere.

 

[Chickbodyguard]

Working on developing this anti chicken predator device... https://www.quirky.com/invent/1228333/action/vote/query/view=trending&categories=all

Please help by just viewing and "Liking"

Thanks!