It may sound dumb but will squirrels try to kill baby chicks?

[Dustieburk]

I went down to my coop one morning and I found two holes going under my hen house and I caught a squirrel going under it haven't had any chicks missing yet but I was just wondering. It can't get into where the hens lay their eggs because the hen house has a floor, it was a old wooden playhouse that had windows so I thought hey I can turn it into a chicken coop.

 

[KathieMc]

I think they probably would if they had the chance to. We have a pair of Mocking Birds nesting in a large bush on our property and I actually watch a squirrel sneak up to the bush, climb up inside and reappear with a hatchling in its mouth. I tried to go after it, but it ran up into a walnut tree and proceeded to eat the poor thing. But it didn't stop there...the squirrel kept going back until the nest was empty!
After seeing this happen, I've totally lost my affection for the once cute critter.

 

[Bigwig]

I went down to my coop one morning and I found two holes going under my hen house and I caught a squirrel going under it haven't had any chicks missing yet but I was just wondering. It can't get into where the hens lay their eggs because the hen house has a floor, it was a old wooden playhouse that had windows so I thought hey I can turn it into a chicken coop.

Shoot them! They are better off in a stew than in a hen house.

 

[Blooie]

Squirrels are not known for nest raiding and hatchling stealing....but boy, that sure doesn't mean they don't do just that! They aren't just cute little bushy tails eating nuts and corn!

This little community I live in didn't have squirrels. Not one. But about 6 years ago some guy who moved here from parts unknown decided he missed them, and he went somewhere and trapped 20 of them, then turned them loose in town. Brilliant! Now the little boogers are everywhere! They get under my house and pull out insulation for their nests, my fruit trees have been decimated, and putting out my bird feeders is an exercise in futility! And having seen exactly what @KathieMc mentioned for myself, I hate them with a passion that borders on insanity!!! I wouldn't put chick stealing past them!

 

[Connie G]

Shoot them! They are better off in a stew than in a hen house.

 

[Connie G]

I'm wondering the same thing. When we let the girls out to free range, squirrels often go in to eat their food. I have one in there tonight and I can't get it out. Will the girls be safe when they go to bed tonight if it is still there?

 

[enola]

Squirrels will eat chicks and TONS of feed if they get the chance. Squirrels will not eat fermented feed. Or at least the squirrels don't eat FF here.

 

[keesmom]

I hate them with a passion that borders on insanity!!!

You and me both! Da*n $#%! tree rats. They are NOT cute and fluffy vegetarians, they are destructive pests. They have not harmed my chickens but they have destroyed countless bird feeders, trash cans, and did $2500 worth of damage to my parent's kitchen when one got stuck on a windowsill high above a driveway. I have witnessed them raiding bird nests and eating the nestlings also. Tree rats, along with rabbits and groundhogs, are at the top of my most hated list.

 

[NEChickenNoob]

I kill them by the dozen. Get a decent air rifle with a scope and sharpen your shooting skills on those evil things. They will get in your attic, they will clean out a bird feeder, they will add tons of cost to feeding your chickens or guineas (my current problem)....I will kill them until there are no more and the new batch moves into town, then I will kill them again. Evil buggers.

 

[Dustieburk]

Ok thankyou everyone