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CheerioLounge
Dessert Dreamer
Thanks DMA!! 
CheerioLounge - Desert Dreamin'
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Marianne
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I bet those little squirrels are going to be a challenge. Everyone needs to throw out ideas (good and bad ones!) to see if one, or a variation of one, will work for you.
The first thing I thought of was small hoop houses over your garden beds. We made a big hoop type enclosure on the back chicken run using UV rated electrical PVC. Then took 2x4 welded wire to cover the bottom 5', and chicken wire on top of that and over the top. We had to add the chicken wire at the bottom after finding out the hard way that there are weasels around here. I'll see if DH will take a pic of it and do a blog page about how we built it. I digress.
Would something similar work for you? Maybe hinge it on the long side of the bed so you could tip it open to work in the bed? I bet those little turds can chew right through the chicken wire, huh. Hardware cloth would be heavier, but more expensive. Hmmmm. You'd have to use smaller electrical conduit/pvc to make a tighter curve, too. Might be kind of pricey to do the entire garden like an open air greenhouse.
Got it! Get a cat! I have a few extra that I can ship to you. We had an increasing number of voles moving closer and closer to the garden and finally I saw a vole hole in the garden. The first barn cat moved here shortly after that and has earned her keep in catching mice, rats, voles, moles. Just the scent of the cat(s) must have sent the message. Last year I didn't see any vole holes. Unfortunately she's the gift that keeps on giving. We're up to 7 cats outside now, plus she just had another litter. We have yet to get her trapped to have her spayed. Getting some used cat litter to put around the place just kind of goes against the grain.
And Sole might think it's a buffet table, too.
The more recent pic of Sole? Ya, now he looks like he lives with us. Fat and happy!
The first thing I thought of was small hoop houses over your garden beds. We made a big hoop type enclosure on the back chicken run using UV rated electrical PVC. Then took 2x4 welded wire to cover the bottom 5', and chicken wire on top of that and over the top. We had to add the chicken wire at the bottom after finding out the hard way that there are weasels around here.
I'll see if DH will take a pic of it and do a blog page about how we built it. I digress. Would something similar work for you? Maybe hinge it on the long side of the bed so you could tip it open to work in the bed? I bet those little turds can chew right through the chicken wire, huh. Hardware cloth would be heavier, but more expensive. Hmmmm. You'd have to use smaller electrical conduit/pvc to make a tighter curve, too. Might be kind of pricey to do the entire garden like an open air greenhouse.
Got it! Get a cat! I have a few extra that I can ship to you. We had an increasing number of voles moving closer and closer to the garden and finally I saw a vole hole in the garden. The first barn cat moved here shortly after that and has earned her keep in catching mice, rats, voles, moles. Just the scent of the cat(s) must have sent the message. Last year I didn't see any vole holes. Unfortunately she's the gift that keeps on giving. We're up to 7 cats outside now, plus she just had another litter. We have yet to get her trapped to have her spayed. Getting some used cat litter to put around the place just kind of goes against the grain.
And Sole might think it's a buffet table, too. The more recent pic of Sole? Ya, now he looks like he lives with us. Fat and happy!
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CheerioLounge
Dessert Dreamer
I'm thinking that raised beds and containers are going to be the most economical option for now. I just need to make sure that the squirrels can't climb them. Maybe some sort of lip around the edge that they can't get over. Out here folks wrap tin or aluminum bands around the palm trees to keep rats from climbing up and nesting in the fronds. I suppose I could wrap the outsdie of the planter boxes with something slippery.
The squirrels are so small and flexible that they can crawl through most chicken wire. The hardware cloth and welded wire are a bit too costly and even then I would probably have to bury it 2 ft deep around the perimeter of any space I was trying to keep them out of. I tried bird netting also, but they just chew through it.
I have also thought about cats... One of the guys that helped pour the concrete has new litters all the time. I'll have to give him a call.
The squirrels are so small and flexible that they can crawl through most chicken wire. The hardware cloth and welded wire are a bit too costly and even then I would probably have to bury it 2 ft deep around the perimeter of any space I was trying to keep them out of. I tried bird netting also, but they just chew through it.
I have also thought about cats... One of the guys that helped pour the concrete has new litters all the time. I'll have to give him a call.
HeronsNestFarm
Power Conserver
Wow!
You really put some time in there to answer all the questions. You seem like a wonderfully interesting guy. It will be interesting to see your journal develop!
You really put some time in there to answer all the questions. You seem like a wonderfully interesting guy. It will be interesting to see your journal develop!
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CheerioLounge
Dessert Dreamer
Thanks HeronsNest. I'm really excited about it and enjoy the feeling of community that the folks here at SS have so warmly shared.
pinkfox
Super Self-Sufficient
a couple of good spay/neutered "barn" cats would be your best bet for ground squirrels.
my best "mousers" have always been females, preferably that have been raised by momma either in an outdoor environment or been played with alot especially games involving stalking/pouncing.
my black female is definalty the best mouser ive ever had and shes showing my tortie female the ropes.
it might also be worth seeing if your area has any "barn cat" programs...cats rescued but are too feral to make good house pets, these organizations spay/neuter, get al shots done and will often even give you the food to feed them if you can offer some sort of shelter for a relitivly safe outdoor life.
most feral cats are great hunters.
just be warned that they will often go after snakes too and we LIKE snakes.
you might want to try attracting more snakes to your yard...a wildife area pretty much left to go wild with long drought tolerant grasses a big flat rock and either a wood or rock pile (or burry teracotta tubes as burrows)
snakes will take care of the ground squirrels but they have such a bad rap that most people dnt want them anywhere neer thier yards.
other natural predators include hawks...while obviously you dont want to put your chickens at risk, if your chickens have a secure run id probably go about putting a coupld of snag trees up (dead trees with a few good strong branches left on) the hawks and owels will use them as look out posts
coyotes, foxes, dogs cats weasles and badgers are their biggest ground predators might be worth seeing if anyone locally has a good squirrel dog (small dogs like rat terriers and feists ect are typically excelent for this job) that they would be willing to bring by once a week or so to have at on your property...
its always frustrating when you loose all your hard work to the critters in the area...and its always tough trying to strike that delicate balance between protecintg your stuff and not making too muhc of an impact on the local flora and fauna who all depend on eachother for survival
my best "mousers" have always been females, preferably that have been raised by momma either in an outdoor environment or been played with alot especially games involving stalking/pouncing.
my black female is definalty the best mouser ive ever had and shes showing my tortie female the ropes.
it might also be worth seeing if your area has any "barn cat" programs...cats rescued but are too feral to make good house pets, these organizations spay/neuter, get al shots done and will often even give you the food to feed them if you can offer some sort of shelter for a relitivly safe outdoor life.
most feral cats are great hunters.
just be warned that they will often go after snakes too and we LIKE snakes.
you might want to try attracting more snakes to your yard...a wildife area pretty much left to go wild with long drought tolerant grasses a big flat rock and either a wood or rock pile (or burry teracotta tubes as burrows)
snakes will take care of the ground squirrels but they have such a bad rap that most people dnt want them anywhere neer thier yards.
other natural predators include hawks...while obviously you dont want to put your chickens at risk, if your chickens have a secure run id probably go about putting a coupld of snag trees up (dead trees with a few good strong branches left on) the hawks and owels will use them as look out posts
coyotes, foxes, dogs cats weasles and badgers are their biggest ground predators might be worth seeing if anyone locally has a good squirrel dog (small dogs like rat terriers and feists ect are typically excelent for this job) that they would be willing to bring by once a week or so to have at on your property...
its always frustrating when you loose all your hard work to the critters in the area...and its always tough trying to strike that delicate balance between protecintg your stuff and not making too muhc of an impact on the local flora and fauna who all depend on eachother for survival
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- #37
CheerioLounge
Dessert Dreamer
Pinky - We have no shortage of snakes! We also have plenty of coyotes, owls, hawks, ravens, kit fox, roadrunners etc. I think that part of the problem is one of our own doing. They get free food from the chickens! They are able to crawl through and under the chicken wire and eat the chicken feed. My chickens just sit there and watch for the most part. I plan on squirrel proofing the chicken run before the little buggers come out of hibernation and start breeding. Hopefully that will help control the population without having to resort to poisons.
And last year's garden was just not secure enough. It was a buffet!!
I think that cats are going to be the way to go for now. I also am looking at the rat terrier idea. I just need to make sure that any animals I add earn their keep. Be it protection, pest control or food.
And last year's garden was just not secure enough. It was a buffet!!
I think that cats are going to be the way to go for now. I also am looking at the rat terrier idea. I just need to make sure that any animals I add earn their keep. Be it protection, pest control or food.
Marianne
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We have had really good luck by just bending the fencing kind of L shape, then laying the short leg of the L right on top of the ground instead of burying it. We put dirt on top of it so you don't see it and we mow right over it since the grasses and weeds have taken hold. We put 2' of fencing flat on the ground, but I wondered if we should have gone 3' out. So far, nothing has dug under it. There was one place that we could see that some critter had tried to dig, but in about an inch, they hit the fencing and stopped.CheerioLounge said:
I also wondered about something slippery, like metal roofing pieces, ?, around the bottom edge. Do the ground squirrels jump very high? Anything metal is really going to add to the heat in the area.
Denim Deb
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I keep reading where you're from as 29 Psalm!
Marianne
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Hey!! I just remembered an old timer in this area saying that fabric softener will keep a lot of critters away - I was just reading about that on the mouse repellent thread and suddenly it connected. The guy told us years ago that it would work to repel skunks...can't remember what else. I wonder if it'd work to keep your ground squirrels at bay?
Maybe take a few dryer sheets, cut them into strips and tie them on the garden fencing, down low where critters are? You'd have to replace them every so often. Since you don't get much rain, could you mix up some liquid and water, spray around the fencing every so often? Wonder how that would work...hmmmmm...
Maybe take a few dryer sheets, cut them into strips and tie them on the garden fencing, down low where critters are? You'd have to replace them every so often. Since you don't get much rain, could you mix up some liquid and water, spray around the fencing every so often? Wonder how that would work...hmmmmm...
