Would a squirrel?

[bzbrown]

I have mentioned losing 2 chicks over the last week. I thought perhaps one of my children let the first out, but then the second chick was actually found with no head and missing a leg. We had no holes along the ground, however there was an area that the garden pumpkin snaked in and started growing in the coop. Well this turns out to be the way to get in! I saw it with my own eyes. A squirrel about the size of a small cat causing a scene in the coop, then when I approached it, it ran right up to where the pumpkin came in and let himself out. I've fixed this problem...

But um... has anyone had a squirrel take chicks, or harm them...that they know of. He was huge, and I called for my husband thinking what I saw at first glass was a racoon or something. He also helped himself to a newly formed eggplant, ripping the entire branch off (while ignoring the eggplant fruit that was about 5 inches...jerk).

I have been a huge advocate of organic, natural and please don't gas the squirrels gardening around the coop/ run, but my arguement for being "humane" is not really flying well with the husband these days as tomatoes and other fruits/veggies turn up half chewed and left in the garden....

 

[NoseyChickens]

Yes I have had losses that I believe are due to squirrels. One was a chick from under a broody and within the last week I have lost 3 chicks in a completely enclosed area. I have seen squirrles dig into the pen and the deaths were just as you described. Today we moved the pen and dug up the ground put down wire mesh put back the run and covered the ground with dirt and sand. I am really hoping this will prevent them from digging in and taking anymore of my young birds.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
the little morons have been eating my tomatoes here I have an aunt who is fond of them I am getting ready to load her freezer up LOL

 

[Ole rooster]

They have decimated my corn crop but I didn't know they were carnivorous. Have I learned something here.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
they are part of rodentia ie kin to rats most muskrats eat a great deal of greens and grass and stuff occasionally they eat clams and fish and things

 

[Ridgerunner]

Squirrels willl eat meat, especially if they are hungry. Sometimes it is scavenging something already dead, but some will kill baby birds and such. I'd think baby chicks could be a target.

I personally don't like a lot of the bushy tailed rats around since the time they damaged my roof and caused several hundred dollars worth of damage when it rained. I can appreciate your organic principles, but when the population gets out of control and out of balance, that is not healthy.

 

[ChiknChief]

After initially scoffing at the carnivorous squirrels, I decided to do a little fact checking. Check Wikipedia. It's entirely possible you have killer squirrels, however, I would suspect rats first. We have loads of squirrels in and out of the chicken yard and coop, no issues. But, we have huge acorn bearing oaks all around us also.

 

[yinepu]

my fancy tailed tree rats (squirrels) have never gone after a chick.. they spend their time raiding the wild bird feeders and the chicken's feed...

not saying they won't go after a chick or an egg... just that mine never have..

in the "wild" (with no people around to mooch off of) they will routinely take small birds and eggs to supplement their diet

 

[bzbrown]

Well this has been interesting. I don't want to think this squirrel is causing such horrible mayhem, but he may very well be. We will see how the next few days go now that his access has been cut off.

 

[dainerra]

I know that squirrels CAN eat meat, but it's more of a starving, last resort meal from everything I've heard.