Gophers or pocket gophers are famous due to their burrowing habits. As they used to dig burrows or tunnels underground for their living. But their tunneling habits can mess with the irrigation system, farms, etc. Because they are used to making a complex long tunnel system for their living. However, they are very much likely to eat plant matter, but they are omnivores in nature. So for chicken owners, it can be a matter of worry as they can enter in the coop from the ground. But ever you think that do gophers eat chickens?
Let’s explore about it, and if you are curious to know, then navigate this article. As this article will serve you all the gopher’s habits to consume chickens. So let’s start.
However, gophers are omnivore animals, but they don’t eat chickens. There are several reasons behind it, but the main reason is that gophers are not that big in size to hunt chickens. As chickens are almost the same size as gophers.
Do Gophers Eat Chickens?
A precise answer to this question is no. Let’s have a detailed look at it. Gophers are ground rodents used to live in tunnels underground. Not only they make burrows to live, but they can make a large complex tunnel system for their living which can support the habitation of hundreds of gophers.
Not only this, but they can harm the irrigation system to make the soil hollow. And also, it can harm roads, farms, etc.
However, they are omnivores but mostly like to eat plant matter, as plant matter is their primary food source. And not only do they eat plants, but they eat the underground roots like carrots, radish, etc. Moreover, it is their plant-eating habits that cause them to dig underground tunnels.
As plants are their primary food, that’s why it is the biggest reason that why they don’t eat chickens. As eating chickens give them a hard time hunting them and chasing them. At the same time, plants are a portion of food free of stalking and hunting.
Not only this, but the size of gophers is not much bigger than chickens. As both of them are almost equal in size. And because of it, they are also not on the list of chicken predators. However, they can eat small chicks, as they are smaller in size and offer no resistance in their defense.
But the chances of gophers hunting chicks is also rare, as they don’t see chickens and chicks as their food. That’s why gophers don’t hunt and eat chickens, even they are omnivores.
Read also: Anti-Pecking Spray for Chickens, do you need it?
Do Gophers Eat Chicken Eggs?
As we already know that gophers are primarily herbivores and like to eat plant based food. And this is also the primary reason that why they don’t see chickens as their food. But, moreover, their herbivore nature is also the reason that they don’t eat the chicken’s egg.
However, if you have gophers on your farm along with chickens, then you don’t have to worry about chickens but for the farm. As they can destroy your plants and crops with their eating habits. Not only they can destroy crops and plants but the soil as well.
What Do Gophers Eat?
Gophers are not picky eaters as they can eat a variety of food. But their food primarily consists of plant matter. And that’s why numerous people think that they are herbivores. But they can eat a lot of other foods that show their omnivore behavior as well. So let’s have a detailed look at what do gophers eat?
However, gophers eat plant matter the most, including roots, carrots, onions, radish, grass, shrubs, bulbs, sweet potatoes, cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, etc.
Furthermore, they can eat earthworms and other small bodied insects, nuts, seeds, berries, etc. However, the roots of young trees and plants are their prior food.
How To Get Rid of Gophers?
As gophers can be a complete nuisance for your lawn and plants, that’s why keeping them away from your lawn is necessary. That’s why I’m going to explain some ways in which you can keep them away from your lawn.
Firstly, use the ground fence to keep them away from your place. But make sure that the fence should be extended under the ground for a maximum of two feet. As gophers are not live on the ground while they live underground and produce tunnels there.
That’s why a fence only above the ground wouldn’t be enough to stop them. That’s why make sure that there is also an underground fence.
Secondly, use repellent plants to keep them away from your lawn. There are several plants that gophers don’t like to eat, such as daffodils, allium, onions, garlic, etc. That’s why planting such plants in your lawn would repel the gophers.
Thirdly, you can also use gopher repellents like repellent smells, chili powder, peppermint oil, fabric softener sheets, garlic stakes, castor oil granules, loud sounds, etc. However, the use of all these repellents helps you to keep gophers away from your lawn.
A Final Thought:
This article is all about, do gophers eat chickens? As they are burrowing rodents and can appear in your chicken’s coop from under the ground. But it is good that they are not the predators of chickens and don’t eat chickens.
Not only this, but they also don’t eat chickens, eggs, and feed. But they can harm your lawn and farm in several ways. As they used to dig tunnels there and also primarily a herbivore.
But you can use several repellents to keep them away from your lawn which is already discussed in the article.