Experience using caye ne pepper in food to deter squirrels?

[Banana01]

I've seen hungry squirrels denude a hot pepper plant. Doubt you could put enough cayenne in the bird feed in dried form to deter them. Thai (birdseye) chilis are much hotter, but I wear goggles and gloves to deal with those - too much hassle.

I thought it was a gimmick too, but there are quite a lot of articles about people successfully using capascin to deter squirrels. Its easy enough to try it in different forms (red pepper powder, haberno water, etc). The chickens and birds supposedly dont care.

The squirrels will either go find a new food source closer, or will be hungry enough to suffer.

 

[BirdyChick]

Has anyone used cayenne pepper to keep squirrels from eating the chickens' food? I like to leave the hens' pen door open while they're free-ranging so they can come back in to eat, and the squirrels are chowing down!
If you have or do use it, how much do you use? Do you sprinkle it on top or mix it in? Thanks for any advice!

How did this go? Did you try it? I am considering doing this so my dog will stop trying to dig into their area (as well as around the fence line). But we have a pretty big yard so I feel like I would need a Costco-sized bottle X1000 LOL

 

[Boise-girls]

How did this go? Did you try it? I am considering doing this so my dog will stop trying to dig into their area (as well as around the fence line). But we have a pretty big yard so I feel like I would need a Costco-sized bottle X1000 LOL

I tried it, didn't seem to deter the squirrels. Maybe I needed to use more! What's working best for me is keeping the "bird" feeders (AKA squirrel feeders) filled in another area of the yard. That's obviously not going to help with your dog. I think it's worth a try, given how sensitive their sense of smell is!

 

[Boise-girls]

Doubtful it is nothing more than a gimmick squirrels will figure out quickly how to still eat around it.

That's certainly consistent with what I know about the little buggers!

 

[Boise-girls]

I use a squirrelenator live trap. Catches multiples.

Digger/ground squirrels get buried. Grey squirrels get put next to the potatoes then smothered in gravy.

Ick! Probably no different than eating rabbit, but not something I grew up with in Wyoming. (Although we ate antelope, deer, elk, rabbit, etc.) "My" squirrels certainly have a lot of meat on their bones, though!

 

[Boise-girls]

Hmm…surprising that the squirrels ate the peppered food. Did you go heavy on the pepper?

I wonder if there’s a different type of feeder you could try…something hanging, maybe?

It seemed like a lot to me, but I'll try more!

 

[Al Gerhart]

Thanks - good information! Unfortunately, I neglected to mention mine are all banties. Right now, I'm just putting out small amounts of food at a time and feeding the hens 3 or 4 times a day. When that's not practical, I shut the hens in their pen with their food. The squirrels aren't as much of a problem when the pen is shut. Not a great solution, but better than nothing.

You are correct, it would be nearly impossible to use a treadle feeder with just banties while trying to keep out a squirrel.

For a treadle feeder to work you need a couple of pounds difference in weight between the vermin and the chicken and you also need a difference in reach if you want it to actually work. Stretch that chicken out while eating so the treadle is back far enough to prevent multiple wild birds or rodents from ganging up on the treadle.

 

[Boise-girls]

You are correct, it would be nearly impossible to use a treadle feeder with just banties while trying to keep out a squirrel.

For a treadle feeder to work you need a couple of pounds difference in weight between the vermin and the chicken and you also need a difference in reach if you want it to actually work. Stretch that chicken out while eating so the treadle is back far enough to prevent multiple wild birds or rodents from ganging up on the treadle.

These squirrels are so fat there may be a couple of pounds difference, but not in the right direction !

 

[swamphiker]

I know this thread is a couple of months old at this point, what's your final verdict on using cayenne pepper to deter squirrels? I'm trying to keep them out of my wild bird feeders rather than my chicken food, but same concept.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I've seen hungry squirrels denude a hot pepper plant. Doubt you could put enough cayenne in the bird feed in dried form to deter them. Thai (birdseye) chilis are much hotter, but I wear goggles and gloves to deal with those - too much hassle.