chicken food vs squirrels

[lin1118]

Hate feeding the squirrels!! Have soooo many squirrels who eat so much of my chickens food. And don't give me any eggs!
Am getting 3 chickens and before I go back to my hanging feeder, which the squirrels love to play on and eat out of any thoughts on just putting out 1-2 cups of food (on the ground or in bowl) for the girl. Any opinions?

 

[snow5164]

I think feeding them a few times a day and having water available would be great . They’ll bond with you and most importantly ...... You will win over those darn squirrels

 

[DobieLover]

I keep my feeder in the run with the door open for the chickens to return whenever they want to eat when they are out free ranging.
My flock chases off every bird that comes near their food and I'm sure they'd put the boots to any squirrel fool hardy enough to try to steal their food too!
I've seen special feeders that require the weight of the chicken to open the feed port. I think there may even be designs here on BYC in the Articles section you could look at to make one yourself if you are handy. I'd think they would prevent squirrels getting into your chicken feed.

 

[townchicks]

A picture of the hanging feeder would be helpful. Where is it located and what is it hung on? There are a few devices made that prevent squirrels from getting to wild bird feeders that might be good for you.

 

[lazy gardener]

I ferment my feed. Not as much attraction to rodents as pellet, whole grain or even crumble. Personally, if I had that many squirrels, I'd be doing a bit of target practice. While such ideas seem cruel to many, I consider squirrels to be pests.

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

In the morning they eat their feed and a morning treat. Then they go out to range and I scoop out a large bowl of my crumble and trough of water outside. That way it's always there for them. I also had a problem with chipmunks and finches pooping in the feeder and bathing in the water so I set up a feeder with seeds and haven't seen a single chipmunk or bird in there since because they were so busy just eating seeds. If you need to you could also set traps like rat traps or buckets with rollers or sticks to drown them. Good luck with those squirrels!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Welcome to BYC!

I feed my chickens twice a day, twenty-thirty minutes of free food per feeding. (Doesn't sound like much, but how much time do you spend eating everyday?) After that, they free-range. It cuts down on songbirds nesting in my coop, I haven't seen a rat in the coop in a year (Used to have an infestation) It prevents my chicks from eating layer feed, and it solved the slight obesity problem my biggest hen had. I have noticed no difference in egg production. And my feed costs are down.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Have soooo many squirrels who eat so much of my chickens food. And don't give me any eggs!

Have you climbed up and looked in those squirrel nests?

I think I have a squirrel getting the chicken feed lately. Guess I need to follow it and see if it's laying eggs up in the trees.

I had a chipmunk that would pick up scratch that didn't bother me and I havn't seen it lately, so I think the chickens might have starting to chase it off, but squirrels...

 

[Geena]

Like Sylvie, I also feed my chickens twice a day, only what they will clean up in a short while, and then they go free range. I had a problem with squirrels a couple of years ago. They would actually come down and chase the chickens off their feed as soon as I walked away. I found that squirrels are ridiculously easy to trap and can be dispatched with a good pellet gun. It only took a few days to get rid of them.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I found a squirrel in my chicken pen too..... I suppose I'm OK with it so long as they don't harm my chicken or try to eat the eggs. I do have a BB Gun and am quite the shooter should things get outta hand though.