I'm on that for next year. We used to occasionally grow a couple of sunflowers at the house in the city. We never got any seeds because there were tons of gray squirrels. They would cut the heads off before the seeds were totally formed and make off with them. They would clean out the bird feeders daily even if it meant jumping 8' from a wall to get on the feeder, then hang upside down to eat. Oddly, now that we have a house away from tons of civilization, very few squirrels. In fact, I'm not sure we had more than one last winter. Never saw more than one at a time if we did. And I found a dead squirrel at the bottom of the above ground pool in the spring so we might have ZERO squirrels this winter.
I read here on BYC that chickens love BOSS and after I figured out what it wasI got a bag. I would do this anyway since we've been filling bird feeders with black oil sunflower seed all winter for years.
So I go out with my little container of BOSS and sit on the ground. They know that means I SOMETIMES have treats, originally it was earwigs, though I don't always and they get all pecky in those cases.
Being chickens, they were both afraid as heck of whatever it was I had in my palm and curious at the same time. Those that are more brave, especially the ones who love earwigs and will jump in my lap if I have any, got the closest and eyed the little black things. A little peck and retreat. Finally swallowed one, thought about it and came back for more. I had to toss some on the ground for the birds that NEVER eat out of my hand, especially the 2 Anconas. Now that they know what it is they come running over and cluster around me as I sit down like I'm Hans Christian Anderson about to tell them a great story. Even the Anconas are pushing in to get some FROM MY HAND. Now I have to make sure the smaller birds (the Cubalayas) get some because they can't push past the bigger birds.
So, moral of the story (at least with my chickens): Give them BOSS!
Bruce
I grew them this year, no chickens to eat them though , i will grow them again next year ...they just make you smile lol. I've noticed that squirrels overrun urban and suburban areas because the larger predators that would eat them or fight them for food are usually in low supply in cities. I have at least ten in my front yard at any given time. My son counts them in the mornings while waiting for the school bus. They drive me nutty. I had one throwing acorns at my car years ago. I miss my outdoor cat who always patrolled the yard....never had squirrels back then....except dead ones left on the back porch.
