# How high can a chipmunk jump?



## Guest (Apr 1, 2012)

I know many of you clicked on this to see how such a weird question can pertain to the poultry forum. Well just bear with me and all will be made clear.

I feed my chickens inside the coop and they are free range during the day. Today I was walking by the coop and a chipmunk came out the chicken door and ran away. It's obvious she has discovered there is food in there and she is helping herself. The coop is tightly built and I could keep her out by closing the door but the chickens need to go in to get to the nesting boxes and lay their eggs. I am wondering if I could raise the hanging feeder to about 10 inches off the floor so the chickens could still get the food but the chipmunk couldn't jump up on the feeder. 

I seriously need to know if this would work or if anyone has any other ideas to keep the chipmunk ouy of the food. Do chipmunks carry and diseases that could be spread to the chickens? A thought just occurred to me as I am typing this, will the chickens catch her in there and do away with her?

Another question to ponder; She is eating Purina Layena, What do I do if she starts laying eggs?


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## akane (Jul 19, 2011)

If the chicken can reach it unless it requires some flying up to a ledge then rodents from mice to rats to chipmunks to squirrels can jump high enough to reach it. A mouse can make the top of a 5gallon bucket if it jumps just right which is what... about 2'? A chipmunk could probably near double that.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Sorry to inform you, but chipmunks can easily jump 3 feet.
Or, they can climb the wire higher and leap over and down. 

Air rifles work on little varmints. :cute: :angel:


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## Shygal (May 26, 2003)

chipmunks can climb down the chain or rope that is hanging the bucket too and chickens wouldnt really like eating out of a high feeder like that

A chipmunk cant really make a huge dent in your feed bill, they bring a lot back to their nest but what they can fit in their mouth in one trip, might be around a tablespoon of feed

And yes, if the chickens catch it, they will kill it and eat it :shocked:
I saw mine get a snake, and a really really big frog


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

My birds never bother the larger rodents like rats and squirrels.
They will catch a mouse, small snake, or frog, but they dont mess with anything much bigger.

I recommend eliminating this pest before it has a crop of babies and they all tell their friends about your buffet.


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## 65284 (Sep 17, 2003)

I was thinking this was going to be something along the lines of, how much wood could a woodchuck chuck..........


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## bajiay (Apr 8, 2008)

65284-glad I wasn't the only one!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

You could do what I did to keep squirrels out of my duck food. Mix in a LOT of cayenne pepper. You have to start with a LOT to keep the rodents out otherwise they develop a taste for the hot stuff. Cayenne won't hurt the chickens, might be a boost to their immune system.


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## DarleneJ (Jan 29, 2012)

65284 said:


> I was thinking this was going to be something along the lines of, how much wood could a woodchuck chuck..........


hahaha me too!

Was thinking that you could catch chip in a squirrel trap to either relocate or exterminate. Peanut butter works good for bait. Don't know what chipmunk tastes like.


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