Squirrels in the Coop!!!!

[Rosypetals]

I was just wondering, how does everyone keep squirrels and rodents out of the coop? I have 8 chickens, and I’m not sure if squirrels bring diseases but I just don’t want them eating the feed. I’ve seen them in the yard and scaling the walls of the coop. I hope they won’t attack me. What do I do? I would rather not injure or kill the squirrels, but I’m a little more worried about my chickens and myself’s safety, so anything helps.

 

[unhitched]

I use this device called the CatchMor Squirrelinator Trap which you can catch an release them. I would spray paint them in the trap so that you can see that they start coming back pretty much no matter how far you move them. I Have no problem ending little squirrel lives as they do tons of damage around the ranch, from eating all the roots on my trees to eating the wires out of the trucks and tractors.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Making sure there are no holes they can get through is my best idea.
Squirrels generally are not a threat to you or the birds, but they will eat the feed.

 

[Rosypetals]

Thank you so much! The holes are pretty much permanent, because live next to a marsh with tons of foxes and coyote everywhere, and my chickens are pets. There is a fence around the coop and a chicken door into the coop. Thank you for the help, and @unhitched I will look into the device. If I see the squirrels coming in too often, I will be having to solve the problem by killing them.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Get yourself a nice and cheap airgun for only around $100, they will dispatch squirrels with a quickness! (Assuming you are a good shot).

 

[SarahGfa]

mix cayenne pepper in the chicken feed and the squirrels will stop coming for it. use ALOT. Chickens cannot taste spicy foods, but squirrels hate it. People also mix chilli peppers in their bird feeders to keep the squirrels away. https://gardeningonadime.com/bird-feeder-battles-winning-war-squirrels/

 

[Compost King]

mix cayenne pepper in the chicken feed and the squirrels will stop coming for it. use ALOT. Chickens cannot taste spicy foods, but squirrels hate it. People also mix chilli peppers in their bird feeders to keep the squirrels away. https://gardeningonadime.com/bird-feeder-battles-winning-war-squirrels/

This works, I did this with a bird feeder years ago. However they will still come in for eggs (rats especially) you need a decent floor or hard ware cloth barriers. I had rats going under my hardware cloth and its about 8 inches down.. next time I build a dirt floor coop I am putting in hardware cloth as a floor... worms can get in but rats can't.

 

[50-45-1]

Rats and squirells are rodent cousins. Difference is one has longer hair and has better PR, and is featured in more disney movies.
Around these parts, you kill one chipmunk and nine of his relitives show up for the funeral.
My advise would be trap and dispatch, do not relocate. It just gives someone else your problem, or as stated they come right back.

 

[Col1948]

I've got a squirrel problem too, there is one who has a nest in nest door's tree, it comes down regularly and helps itself to the feed, I chase it away but I will use the cayenne pepper idea plus I believe it helps the chickens lay as well.

 

[lilmillefleur]

If you can get a new fence/wire with only 1/4" or 1/2" hole wire mesh, that will solve your problem