If you’ve ever spotted a rat, mouse, or squirrel hanging around your chicken feeder, you know how frustrating it can be. Once they discover an easy food source, they’ll keep coming back for more. There’s a simple, natural trick that can help: cayenne pepper. Yep, the same spicy stuff you might use in the kitchen can actually help keep rodents out of your coop without harming your chickens.
Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, the compound that gives it that fiery heat. Rodents, with their super-sensitive sense of smell and taste, find capsaicin intensely irritating. Just a small amount can make the area around your chicken feed too unpleasant for them to bother with. While it won’t harm rats, mice, or squirrels, it definitely makes them think twice about approaching the chicken feeder.
Even better—your chickens won’t mind it one bit. Birds don’t have the receptors to feel the heat from spicy foods, so cayenne pepper doesn’t bother them at all. In fact, some chicken keepers say it may even have mild health benefits, like helping with parasites or reducing inflammation.
To use cayenne pepper in your coop, just mix 1–2 tablespoons into every 10 pounds of feed. Make sure it’s mixed well so the flavor is distributed evenly. You’ll want to repeat this each time you refill your feeder. For extra protection, you can also sprinkle a light dusting of cayenne around the base of feeders, coop entry points, or any place you suspect rodents are getting in.
Keep in mind, you’ll need to reapply the pepper after rain or cleaning, and while it’s great as a preventative, it won’t solve a full-blown rodent infestation on its own. Make sure you’re also storing your feed in sealed, rodent-proof containers—metal bins with tight-fitting lids work the best.
Tip: One of the most affordable ways to buy cayenne pepper is in bulk—check natural grocery stores like Sprouts, where it’s often sold by the pound.
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