Is this a good idea?

[chickenassistant]

I have a dilemma... over the last month, ground squirrels have been getting into the coop, eating the feed, and eating/stealing the eggs. I fortified the coop, sprayed pepper powder/paste in and around the coop, and mixed it into their food. I collect the eggs often. Because we let the chickens out into the yard, the front door to our coop stays open.

Because they are ground squirrels, they are burrowing under our outer perimeter fence line. I have a natural pepper spray I put in the holes will put something large in the hole and then fill in the hole. Because it's the outside fence line, and I don't care how out of control it gets, I planted mint (which should help with other animals).

But after all that, the squirrels still feast. I even allowed the crows back into the yard to help with the rodent population (upside-down fake crows really do work to keep them out of the yard!).

My question to the wonderful chicken fandom, I wanted to put up owl nesting boxes on the other side of the outer fence where there is an open field (where there is a huge ground squirrel/ rat population). Chickens stay locked up at night, no large predators can get into the coop.

Is this a good idea?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I'm going to say "maybe." It's like making natural order a game on one hand where you don't know if Owls will really inhabit the houses and selectively eat all the squirrels but they really might, it's not a bad idea... But for the record I have only lost 1 chicken to a predator in 20years and mine free-range during the day. It was either a hawk or owl, at dusk before lock up. So with no houses, I do have owls. And I do have many squirrels, who doesn't, but I have dogs! The squirrels taunt the dogs to chase them up trees but they don't dare enter my coop. I also have feral barn cats. I have watched the cats decimate the squirrel population which actually made me sad until reading your post. If you can't do barn cats or dogs, I would definitely not keep feed IN the coop ??? Can't tell if that's where your feed is. Metal garbage cans for storing it, feeding station outside of coop. Put up a game cam, maybe even one of those solar alarm things and fake owls wouldn't hurt. I have a fake Owl and 2 fake Roosters perked on my chain link fence and I know it's very helpful. Squirrels are a real dilemma they are so smart! I want to see what other advice you get for sure!!

 

[chickenassistant]

I'm going to say "maybe." It's like making natural order a game on one hand where you don't know if Owls will really inhabit the houses and selectively eat all the squirrels but they really might, it's not a bad idea... But for the record I have only lost 1 chicken to a predator in 20years and mine free-range during the day. It was either a hawk or owl, at dusk before lock up. So with no houses, I do have owls. And I do have many squirrels, who doesn't, but I have dogs! The squirrels taunt the dogs to chase them up trees but they don't dare enter my coop. I also have feral barn cats. I have watched the cats decimate the squirrel population which actually made me sad until reading your post. If you can't do barn cats or dogs, I would definitely not keep feed IN the coop ??? Can't tell if that's where your feed is. Metal garbage cans for storing it, feeding station outside of coop. Put up a game cam, maybe even one of those solar alarm things and fake owls wouldn't hurt. I have a fake Owl and 2 fake Roosters perked on my chain link fence and I know it's very helpful. Squirrels are a real dilemma they are so smart! I want to see what other advice you get for sure!!

We have a coop inside a coop situation, and if need be, I lock them up in. The chickens eat from the grandpa feeder and all spare food stays in a locked storage cabinet in a garbage can.

House situation, can't really do a cat or a dog in the yard. We also have coyotes that sometimes roam in the field behind the perimeter fence. Hence why we have a fence, and the chickens get locked up at night.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

We have a coop inside a coop situation, and if need be, I lock them up in. The chickens eat from the grandpa feeder and all spare food stays in a locked storage cabinet in a garbage can.

House situation, can't really do a cat or a dog in the yard. We also have coyotes that sometimes roam in the field behind the perimeter fence. Hence why we have a fence, and the chickens get locked up at night.

Good sitch.... Go for it with Owl boxes. Could you make a Feral cat house at the perimeter fence and adopt a couple feral barn cats, mine certainly seem smart enough to not get taken by coyotes or owls and they really do keep the squirrels out.... I got them to solve the problem of mice and rats. You just provide a shelter, water and I feed mine every other day because they do eat mice and squirrels. I just pull the food back at night like with the chickens, if they have left any out. Not sure where you are but most big cities have feral cat adoption programs. The feral's really don't want to be your lap kitty, it's very different.

 

[AnnPann]

Another vote for barn cats - check around local shelters who usually have cats that can't be adopted into homes, but would be great "working" cats.

You could also try a fake owl to start, but they might figure that out unless you move it regularly. I have also read that owl houses have to be really high up to be attractive. Higher than I would want to go up a ladder!

I had good luck running voles off (temporarily) with these solar-powered, motion-sensing noise-makers (look on Amazon - they are meant for a rodent deterrent). It's a pretty annoying sound, but it kept them out of my strawberry beds.

Since you leave your coop door open a lot, have you checked to make sure they aren't already living inside the coop all the time? Those buggers are so fast and hide so easily, I can see it being easy to miss them.

 

[chickenassistant]

Good sitch.... Go for it with Owl boxes. Could you make a Feral cat house at the perimeter fence and adopt a couple feral barn cats, mine certainly seem smart enough to not get taken by coyotes or owls and they really do keep the squirrels out.... I got them to solve the problem of mice and rats. You just provide a shelter, water and I feed mine every other day because they do eat mice and squirrels. I just pull the food back at night like with the chickens, if they have left any out. Not sure where you are but most big cities have feral cat adoption programs. The feral's really don't want to be your lap kitty, it's very different.

We are too rural for barn cats as well as we don't have a barn and are next to a busy street. These are literally backyard chickens. lol (on an acre of property)

 

[JedJackson]

Personally I would build a larger run and keep the chickens in that rather than free-ranging and leaving the door open. Owls kill chickens as well as rodents, and they aren't always only active at night. There is also the issue of pests and diseases which the squirrels could be bringing into the coop during their forays.

 

[chickenassistant]

Personally I would build a larger run and keep the chickens in that rather than free-ranging and leaving the door open. Owls kill chickens as well as rodents, and they aren't always only active at night. There is also the issue of pests and diseases which the squirrels could be bringing into the coop during their forays.

pests were a problem and we thought they were coming from rats. but now I know it's been the squirrels. which have never been a problem before.

the ones invading us are the baby squirrels

 

[JedJackson]

pests were a problem and we thought they were coming from rats. but now I know it's been the squirrels. which have never been a problem before.

the ones invading us are the baby squirrels

I have no experience with ground squirrels but I deal with gray squirrels and rabbits. The only thing I've found that works is to keep the chickens in their run and make it so the critters can't get inside. This also eliminates problems from hawks, owls, and all other manner of predators. I would love to free range but it just doesn't work where I am.

If I was you I might look into why all these squirrels have suddenly invaded your yard. It may be that this is just a bad year for whatever natural plants they normally feed on, so it may be temporary. I'm not sure if it is legal to trap and relocate in your area, but I would do that before resorting to killing them. Some species are in danger of extinction.

 

[Wormhunter]

I'm going to say "maybe." It's like making natural order a game on one hand where you don't know if Owls will really inhabit the houses and selectively eat all the squirrels but they really might, it's not a bad idea... But for the record I have only lost 1 chicken to a predator in 20years and mine free-range during the day. It was either a hawk or owl, at dusk before lock up. So with no houses, I do have owls. And I do have many squirrels, who doesn't, but I have dogs! The squirrels taunt the dogs to chase them up trees but they don't dare enter my coop. I also have feral barn cats. I have watched the cats decimate the squirrel population which actually made me sad until reading your post. If you can't do barn cats or dogs, I would definitely not keep feed IN the coop ??? Can't tell if that's where your feed is. Metal garbage cans for storing it, feeding station outside of coop. Put up a game cam, maybe even one of those solar alarm things and fake owls wouldn't hurt. I have a fake Owl and 2 fake Roosters perked on my chain link fence and I know it's very helpful. Squirrels are a real dilemma they are so smart! I want to see what other advice you get for sure!!

Squirrels have been a real menace here in the uk too, classes as vermin so if we catch them we can’t release them back into the wild !!!
Found one in the coop with a terrified chicken!!
We just despatch them if we get them, the message is out there now