Squirrels?

[Robinkay1]

Hi all,

I leave my coop door open during the day, so the hens can roam around my backyard, go in and out at will. Squirrels, however, can let themselves in - and do - though the open door. This bothers me; I don't think they should be in the chicken coop and run. Should I leave the door shut during the day, once the chickens are out? Or are squirrels really not a problem?



Thanks for any suggestions!!

Robin

 

[1muttsfan]

Your chickens need to have access to the coop for shelter, food if you keep it there, and if they lay eggs in there as well. Squirrels can get into feeders, and I have heard that they can come to like eggs as well.

 

[RonP]

What is attracting the squirrels into the coop?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I use 2 chunx bait boxes to keep the rats, squirrels and chipmunks in check. Not the small disposable stations but a tamper proof lock bait station like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Protecta-LP...6&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=130273847104&rt=nc

Have good success with the bright green chunx bait.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tomcat-Bait...615?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43d1ba55b7

Safe method of pest control. They don't drop the chunx as they chew it off unlike pellets that can be dropped around yard. Just have to do a walk through of yard each day to pick up any dead squirrels or what have you so animals don't eat them.

 

[enola]

I had problems with squirrels last summer. They were eating TONS of pellets. So I started feeding the hens as much as they wanted two times a day. Then the squirrels started on the eggs.

I have my coop in a barn, so I used the mouse/rat bait that has a hole drilled through the center, nailed to cross beams where chickens couldn't get to them. After two weeks, no more squirrel invaders!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote:

I had problems with squirrels last summer. They were eating TONS of pellets. So I started feeding the hens as much as they wanted two times a day. Then the squirrels started on the eggs.

I have my coop in a barn, so I used the mouse/rat bait that has a hole drilled through the center, nailed to cross beams where chickens couldn't get to them. After two weeks, no more squirrel invaders!

For what ever its worth squirrels also love to chow down on baby birds. The last time I checked baby birds also included chicks.

Nature is a wondrous thing, but nature is not painted in pretty shades of pastel but rather in stark shades of blood red.

 

[enola]

I didn't have to worry about chicks. They weren't in the barn.

But, you are right, anyone with chicks outside need to watch them if you have squirrels. . .

 

[RonP]

Why are the squirrels going into your coop???

 

[enola]

Because they want to.

 

[RonP]

Because they want to.

Not really, unless there is something to attract them.

They prefer trees and open spaces, where they naturally find food and shelter in their natural habitat.