have a vomiting wild squirrel with free-ranging chickens

[Sandiwool]

This may sound odd, but this morning when I let the girls out in the yard, I heard an awful sound and found it was a squirrel ( one of our regulars) on a branch heaving and vomiting a white, frothy foam. It did it several times. I saw it in the yard only once today and the rest of the time it's been hanging out just sitting on a branch. Of course my concern is my girls. The squirrels are in the yard constantly, they and the chickens are buddies and all eat the BOS that I toss on the ground and the chickens will feed off the dropping of the suet block that both squirrels and birds nibble on. So does anyone have a clue about why this squirrel may be vomiting? I've tried to research it but really can't find anything. I sure don't want my girls to get sick but even keeping them locked up in their pen, squirrels squeeze through the fence and join them in their run/coop. So far, the girls seem to be acting fine so I'm more or less throwing this out there to see if anyone else has had a vomiting squirrel before of know anything about it or the impact it could have on my girls. I know I'm reaching here but thought I'd try.

Thanks,
Sandi (worried in Oregon)

 

[MrsBrooke]

Sounds like the squirrel either had a really rough night or ate something toxic (rat poison comes to mind). Around this time of year, people start putting poison in their attics to keep rats/mice/squirrels out.

Not the safest thing for the environment. Clearly.

I hope your flock makes it through unscathed!

MrsB

 

[Sandiwool]

That had crossed my mind. That would make me sad because I do like the squirrels even though they are known as "tree rats". One day I heard all the girls carrying on like crazy and went out to see what was going on and found a hawk in the tree. Then one of their squirrel buddies, was right there, on the other side of the trunk of the tree where the hawk was and out of no where, charged the hawk and the hawk ended up flying off. I'd never seen anything like it before in my life. I thought that squirrel was going to be hawk dinner for sure...but nope. As soon as that happened, the girls came out of hiding and the squirrel came down to where the girls were and all was like it should be. It was nature at it's best. So, it would break my heart to see one of their buddies getting poisoned. But, like I said, it did cross my mind. I just hope it's not some strange virus that is transmitted through droppings...that's all.

Thanks Mrs B.

Sandi