How dangerous are squirrels?

[ErikaRI]

Several times this week I've come home to find a squirrel trapped in the coop, thoroughly crazed, and totally freaking out my 10-week old girls. I thought I'd figured out how to keep them out, but today one made it in again and then couldn't gt out.

So far no injuries, just general chicken panic. But are squirrels dangerous to chickens?

 

[KaylorFarms]

Squirrels are not dangerous to my chickens, my chickens chase the squirrels

 

[CapricornFarm]

I have never heard of a squirrel attacking and biting livestock unless rabid.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Vicious. Just look at those teeth!

Squirrels and chipmunks will eat your feed budget in a hurry. Not really eat it but carry away to a cache they then forget where it was. Complete waste of feed and should be treated as any other rodent. They will get out of hand and eventually move into your house walls and attic. Be firm early on even with fluffy tailed rats.

 

[ErikaRI]

Sounds like the biggest danger is accidental scratching then. Thanks!

 

[Poman]

All squirrels are "fluffy"RATS... treat accordingly...they will destroy your plastic buckets and clean out your pellets... $$$$ wasted.

 

[ErikaRI]

Squirrels are not dangerous to my chickens, my chickens chase the squirrels

Our chickens do chase sparrows out of the yard. Haven't seen them chase a squirrel yet.

 

[LizStreithorst]

Heck, don't poison them. Plug up all the places they could enter the coop and get a dog.

 

[ErikaRI]

Heck, don't poison them. Plug up all the places they could enter the coop and get a dog.

We have a dog. She's useless unless you're delivering a package or are a contractor or handyman, at which point she goes ballistic. Doesn't care about squirrels.

But don't worry, I'm not going to poison them. Not my style, and pretty sure my town has rules about that anyway.

 

[LizStreithorst]

Buy your dog a Jack Russel, and thanks for not making the furry rats die a long slow death due to internal breeding which is how the poisons work.