Squirrels are sure eating a lot of chicken food!

[SallyF]

You can put cayenne pepper in bird feeders. In fact, I have seen bird seed sold with a pepper coating to deter squirrels. Good luck.

 

[fordmommy]

Cayenne pepper: That's the stuff that they put in "Squirrel Away" and it doesn't work for my squirrels or chipmunks. You'll either have to trap them or shoot them with the BB gun. I also have two dogs that the they have just gotten used to. They are not scared to come and eat at the feeder one bit. Those are things that work for me.

Oh! And if you decide to trap them...sunflower seeds work the best for me.

 

[Brindlebtch]

We just let Maggie out when we see one at the feeder. She will tree them in our one big tree and stake them out them nab them as they make a run for it or catch them making a run direct from the bird feeder. She has still managed to make major inroads on the local squirrel population. I guess she is gifted that way.

 

[Doormantnt]

a .22 round, some potato, carrots, and a little stock....you will love the stew. I only use the cayenne if I want to pre-season my supper.

 

[MrsSerfesME]

We do not have our chickens, YET, but we feed wild birds and well, we don't feed very many wild birds anymore because the squirrels have taken over at our new house, mostly fat greedy gray squirrels. We have a couple of red ones. We keep our wild bird seed supply in a metal trash can so little critters can't chew through and get into that, it's kept right outside and it's too hard for even me to get the cover off so that helps keep the little buggers out of there. I will be keeping our chicken feed in a metal trash can also.

We have gray squirrels, mean little red squirrels, flying squirrels and mice, so far that I have noticed. We also have a big male turkey and his 5 ladies and deer that frequent the property. The flying squirrels stick to their one feeder that we fill in the evening for them and they don't bother anything else. The turkeys clean up whatever seeds get dropped on the ground, but I know we should probably make sure they are hanging around near our chicken coop in case they are carrying any diseases.

So in other words, if anyone has any suggestions for rodent proofing our coop as we build it, I am eager to hear them.

We are planning to keep the wild bird feeders on the opposite side of the property that the chickens are on to keep the wild critter attracted to a different part of the property, but I know they will wander over if they smell food anywhere in the coop or run.

And no guns, we are not allowed to shoot animals in our city.

 

[cobrien]

is there any way to keep your chickens closer to the feeder? mine don't allow any critters near their feeder during the day (they even killed a rat) but they don't have too far to wander from the feeder.

 

[MrsSerfesME]

I could keep the chickens near the main feeders that the squirrels get into, I was just trying to keep things safer for the chickens as well.

 

[ZoeStevens]

My bird seed mix (for my indoor chickens ... aka conures) actually has strips of dried cayenne pepper in it. It's really good for them (but bad for my when I rub my eyes after cleaning) so if you want to you can even put larger bits of dried peppers in their food. At best they will enjoy it but if nothing else it will keep all over non-bird animals out of it.

 

[MrsSerfesME]

I know exactly what you are talking about, I had a Conure who had food with dried peppers in it and one day he gave me one of his little birdy kisses and it burned, which started me a bit at first until I realized what he had been chewing on just before. That's an idea I might just try.

 

[Coop de Grille]

The squirrel population has dropped dramatically since we adopted Bella.