RRRRRG!!! Squirrels eating chicken feed! Ideas??

[spectrumranch]

Quote:
I would think the chickens will starve cause they probably can't open the lid to eat either.

 

[chi-rn]

Quite a long post by someone with squirrel problem here, with a few good ideas sprinkled among the humor: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=333920&p=1

Good luck!

 

[newchick13]

we keep our feed in a metal trash can with a tight fitting lid which is in our enclosed run. I also only have one feeder which is inside my coop. I can't imagine a squirrel being so brave as to enter the coop with my hungry ladies!

 

[1234duck]

lmao @ spectrumranch... I was thinking the same thing. lol ~ I have the same problem with the squirrels stealing the feed. My husband dug a ditch around the coop area so the fencing would be berried a little, making it hard for predators to get in. Well that didn't work, they keep digging under. Here in Cali, we have squirrels real bad digging under buildings/the house ect... Oh and they even make nests up in our cars if we leave them parked too long. We do shoot them but seems like for every 1 killed, 5 more take its place. Then my dad would miss and put a hole in the waterer. Can't poison them b/c our dogs are obsessed with catching the dang squirrels then it would harm the dogs if they caught & nibbled on them. So basically I've kinda forgot about the squirrels as they feast away. I don't want the feed in the coop b/c its not all that big inside & that would mean lots of poop inside to clean up, I would rather feed the squirrels for now. ~Julie~

 

[BBsChicks]

We have our feed in 50 gal trash barrels with lids. Try putting your feed in something other than leaving it in sacks and see if that helps.

Ours is in sturdy 50 gallon Rubbermaid trash cans and the squirrels are chewing their way through the lids. I guess eating all the organic crumble and compost that the girls leave behind isn't enough for the thieves.
I thought I was a pacifist but I am ready for a pellet gun :-/