How do I stop this?

[64peeps]

I had issues with a neighbor feeding squirrels so her and her grandson could watch those cute fuzzy animals. Well, they used my fence as a squirrel highway. I built a trap and removed many squirrels that would never return, yet, other squirrels kept coming. Once they learn the location of food, they seem to tell their entire family. Stay on top of ridding your yard of them and eventually you might be squirrel free.

 

[neo71665]

A rat trap baited with peanut butter also gets rid of squirrels. Just make sure its somewhere tiny fingers and toes can't find it.

 

[Sonya9]

As others have said, unless you are willing/able to fence in the entire run with 1/4th inch hardware cloth you will just have to accept it.

Squirrels are nothing, most chicken coops in rural areas eventually have a population of little field rats due to the feed, and then several snakes move in to feed on the rats. If you keep the feed indoors and inaccessible you may be able to prevent that but otherwise you will likely just have to learn to deal with it (and snake proof the hen house to keep the chicks safe at night).

Honestly I am not sure why you are worried about the squirrel droppings or squirrels harming/scaring your hens, but since you are concerned about it realize chicken coops eventually have additional inhabitants. Other than the risk of snakes harming bantams or chicks at night it is really not a big deal.

 

[Al Gerhart]

It is a big deal because they will kill chicks, steal eggs, steal more feed than the chickens are eating, and bring in vermin and pests like lice, ticks, mites, and flees. Then predators are also drawn to the coop thanks to squirrels and those same predators would much rater catch a chicken than a squirrel.

 

[JadeFarms]

I’ve caught many squirrels by accident because I would accidentally put a trap over an avocado (I catch tegus and put it under our avocado tree). They LOVE avocados. They have never really bothered the chickens besides eat their food.

 

[centrarchid]

Consider mixing cayenne pepper powder in to feed, or at least area where squirrels have access to it. Response should be immediate if going to work. The chickens will not be effected. I mix stuff into feed to improve yolk color during winter months.

 

[neo71665]

Consider mixing cayenne pepper powder in to feed, or at least area where squirrels have access to it. Response should be immediate if going to work. The chickens will not be effected. I mix stuff into feed to improve yolk color during winter months.

Mind coming down here and tellin

 

[Adam B]

I would definitely enclose the top of it. We did it here because of the hawks. And bald eagles. And all the other predators we have in the woods

 

[50-45-1]

i had a similar problem with chipmunks.
All day they would leave the coop with big bulging mouthfulls of my chicken feed. Yes, they are cute but they dont lay me eggs, so they had to go.
I took to sitting in the yard with a good book... and my 22.
This helped.
I also hate red squirells. What are squirels anyway? A rat with a fluffy tail IMHO.
Note on red squirels - kill one, and 7 more come to the funeral.

 

[Folly's place]

I thought that those little red squirrels were cute too, until this year, when a family colonized our attic, by chewing holes into the soffits and roof! We had a mess, and the pest control company out because I don't do roof work. Colony gone, money spent, and they just aren't cute any more.
The red squirrels also drove out the other squirrels that used to be around, not a good thing either.
And soffet rebuilding still due this fall...
A friend down the road had them in her basement, also this year, and declared war on them. She trapped and killed 32!
Mary