Squirrels a nuisnace ( in UK) any suggestions?

[flakey chick]

I understand guns are not quite as easy to come by in the UK. What you need is hot-pepper treatment. They make a spray to treat bird seed. Birds can't taste the hot pepper, but squirels don't like it. The problem is that the spray looses it's potency quickly. You could also try your own pepper concoction. I'd put some cayenne in the bird food and see if that works. (Side note, some people add cayenne to boost egg production- not sure if it really works for that.)

 

[WoodlandWoman]

We keep our feed in covered bins that latch closed. Maybe you can modify your bins, so animals can't get into them.

For the feed in the feeders, you could try hot peppers. Birds aren't bothered by hot peppers the way humans and squirrels are, so sometimes that can discourage them. Some people do that in their wild bird feeders. You could try sprinkling some powdered hot pepper lightly over your feed for a few days and see if that discourages them. I'd wait to do that until after the bins are secured.

A hanging feeder wouldn't keep them from eating out of it, but it would keep them from spilling the entire feeder by knocking it over.

 

[rancher hicks]

I tried the hot pepper routine for my wild bird feeders, spending a lot of money and they still came back. It doesn't work! Just like this "Hot Pick" stuff I paid $15.95 for from eggcartons.com for picking.

Old enough to have tried lots of things. Most didn't kill me.

Rancher

 

[swift4me]

There is an internet forum in the UK, called Pigeon Watch. The members are very keen on pest control, including grey squirrels. I bet you could find someone in your area who'd love to come over with a legal air pellet rifle, (very deadly and accurate), and have some sport and solve your problem too.

I've killed backyard squirrels before, and they often learn that there are other places to eat.

Good luck,

Pete

 

[fratermus]

I like squirrels, but they are digging up my garden.

If they are digging up my yard I usually do nothing. If they are digging up my garden I deploy a pellet gun to the situation.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I sprinkle blood meal on the surface, whenever I have a problem with ground squirrels or regular squirrels digging in my garden or patio pots. So far, it's always deterred them. It's a natural fertilizer, too. I've only had an occasional problem with this and only when I've first planted an area. Once the plants are up, they don't seem to do it.

 

[aprophet]

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[patman75]

Where is your feeder? Is it in the coop or run? Could you just secure your coop or run to keep the squirrels out?

 

[princesslayer]

Hi All,

Thanks for all your suggestions. We live slap bang in the middle of a lovely Oxfordshire beech wood so it sounds like a deterrent rather than a trap is going to be best. Trap or kill one and you'll have another 10 take it's place I think. The chooks free range during the day in the garden and woods. Funnily enough even though we are in a wood, foxes don't seem to be a problem (as yet). We 've had the girls 8 months now with no sign of a fox.

I'll try the chili powder!!

 

[Orchid]

My Labrador retriever thinks squirrel chasing is great fun - he doesn't ever catch them or kill them, but he loves to chase them. We don't have any squirrels anymore. Guess they got tired of testing their cardiovascular endurance! So I get a twofer - a great doggie friend and no more squirrels.