Experience using caye ne pepper in food to deter squirrels?

[Boise-girls]

Thanks - good idea!

 

[Boise-girls]

So annoying!
I tried this. The girls rubbed their beaks on the ground more than usual, but otherwise ate it up. (I usually do add water to their crumbles because there's so much powder, so am comparing similar things.)
However, when I went out a bit later, the food was totally gone, which means the squirrels were fine with it, too. I may just have to shut the hens up more frequently so they have less competition for their chow.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Well you could always use the squirrels for target practice.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

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?

 

[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]

Squirrels are really difficult to stop with a feeder. You need a feeder with a narrow and distant treadle, not the typical Chinese made wide treadle feeders like Grandpa feeder and the clones or the Feed o matic. It has to have a spring loaded door to prevent the door from simply being pushed open and the spring HAS to be kept quite stiff which means you HAVE to have mostly full size birds. That will stop single squirrels, maybe two squirrels. Even then if you live next to woods with lots of squirrel territories you might not be able to stop them. Squirrels will fight to the death over their own territory but they tend to share something like a chicken coop with a poor feeder. Even then, a mother with nearly grown babies are going to overwhelm a feeder until she drives the juveniles off once they are grown.

The pepper in the feed, I liked how you used the word "Experience" in your post. So many of these tips are little more than old wives tales that people have heard and offer in an effort to help out. Well intentioned, no doubt, but I personally have never seen anyone post the idea and claim to have actually used the tactic and that it worked. And the cost would be never ending. The eggs might not need seasoning though. LOL

Your best bet is a good treadle feeder with a spring loaded door assuming you have normal size birds. Even then you need to be sure to never, ever, ever, leave the feeder open during training because the squirrels are a lot easier to stop if they don't know where the feed is stored. They will be able to smell the feed, no doubt, but sometimes getting in a bluff on them in the beginning makes the difference between stopping them or not stopping them.

 

[Boise-girls]

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.

 

[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 !

 

[Quatie]

I would also say pepper would not work. It may actually encourage them. My mother-in-law has rats as pets. She would let them play in her bathroom and she tried putting capsaicin on the trim to deter chewing. They licked up all the capsaicin and looked for more. I would imagine squirrels might do the same thing.

Not sure the best way to keep squirrels out. They can be rather smart and tenacious.