Help!Over run with chipmunks in the chicken yard/coop!

[FiFiFeather]

I have always had a problem with chipmunks where I live (edge of the woods& hilly). But now that I have chickens and it's fall, I see the buggers brazenly running into the chicken yard & coop to fill up out of the hens' scratch and feed.

Ticks me right off! They even run into the open coop! Does anyone have any tricks for keeping them out of the hen house & yard? I'm ready to poison them but I'm afraid they'll die in the yard & the hens will try to eat the poisoned carcasses. The hens occasionally run them off but they come right back.

There is no way for them to get in/out the coop except for the one door and the chickens have to have their food! Aargh.
Can they hurt the hens at all? They are RSL & RIR.

 

[VI KING RANCH]

Shoot Them!!!

 

[WitksChicks]

I've been told that the chipmunks are there because the chickens eat all the ticks. Ticks are what kill the chipmunks, they get lyme disease and die. I've had lyme disease, so I prefer the chipmunks, so I know the tick population in my back yard is next to null. So the chipmunk we have living in our drain pipe will stay in residence until he/she either becomes a really bothersome neighbor or moves out.

I just make sure the feed and water are off the ground in the run. I haven't had a problem with them getting into the coop. My girls are pretty good at keeping them out of the run and coop. It's their "Clucking-Clubana" and it is going to stay that way.

 

[FiFiFeather]

Interesting about the ticks. My dogs never get ticks, so I know there aren't a lot around (the dogs run in the woods).

I was thinking of poisoning them (chipmunks, I mean!), but my husband is horrified at the thought, lol! (sorry, dear). We debated and researched for over an hour last night on if/how to euthanize the gerbil. I came up with a plan but he postponed it til the am. Thankfully the poor gerbil was already gone when we got up (he was quite ancient). I thought he was suffering

Although clearly the chipmunks aren't suffering, they are thriving off my chicken's food, lol!

If I hang the food, maybe they will not come in as much? I stopped giving scratch outside the coop...The hens are not very happy about the lack of scratch these days.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

We have a lot of chipmunks around here, too. They don't bother the coop, but they can be a pain in the garden at times.

I toss snacks up at the house for the girls every day, but only enough for a treat. They eat it up right away, within a couple of minutes. In the winter, when they get scratch at night, it's after they're locked in the coop for the night, but before the light goes out. So, other animals don't get a chance at it. I keep the feed in the coop.

Since the chipmunks have learned to go in your run and coop, they'll be harder to discourage. You can try hanging the feeder and see if that helps at all. They're pretty athletic. If you remove the chipmunks that live there now, any that come in later may not be as attracted to your run and coop, if the food isn't as available now.

You can live trap them, but then you and your husband will need to come to some type of understanding about what to do after you catch them. I usually send my dogs after them and used to send my cat after them. They've always been good at hunting vermin. Even though the chipmunks are the most challenging to catch, it's pretty easy for my pets to harass them. My husband used to put dirty cat litter down the woodchuck hole, to encourage it to move up into the woods. That worked, too. Sometimes, they just need to not be living in such a convenient location. Convenient for causing problems.

 

[stoopid]

I have learned to feed the chipmunks, because when the hawk comes, I'd rather the chipmunks get eaten. JMO

 

[MVchickens]

Fill a 5 gallon bucket up half way with water. Cover the top of the water with bird seed (sun flower seeds work best). Have a pice of wood running up to the edge of the bucket as a ramp. Dig a hole. After a day dump the bucket of chipmunks in the hole. Thats how I deal with mine...

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

A highpowered pellet rifle with a good scope. My dh has drastically reduced the population around here. He left a few so he can continue target practice at his leisure. The barred owls are very happy with their free meals!

 

[johnnyg07]

I had that problem they were going in to my coop and even chewing through the tubes in out house A.C unit..I dont know if anyone knoticed but there is a nice airrifle with a nice scope leaning agenst my coop in my pic...but yea I found that just shooting them works I wanted to stay away from poision too...Although usualy once you off a few of them the others get the hint and stay away

 

[FiFiFeather]

My husband used to pick off mice with his air gun, but that was eons ago & we don't have the air gun any more--maybe it'sa time to invest again.

I haven't seen any hawks hanging around our yard lately, sadly. I could leave the dogs down there--they love to eat chicken poop, though, which grosses me out.

We put dog scat down chipmunk holes frequently & the dogs pee right around their holes,. but it doesn't run the chipmunks off. Geez. It would run ME off!

I'll try some of the suggestions. I know chipmunks can be uber destructive. They certainly are at my sister's cabin in the UP. Between them and the deer mice, it's a wonder she's got a cabin & shed at all, lol!