Ground Squirrel Paradise Found in my Chicken House

[cafia]

Our family has farmed here since 1960, never seen a ground squirrel, (just gophers, jackrabbits, raccoons etc.) and all of a sudden ground squirrels are infesting the coop area. They make giant tunnels and holes, and apparently may carry plague fleas.
I don't want to poison my pets or chickens by accident. Does anyone have experience with this?

[2Bwacco]

no experience with ground squirrels (maybe they stowed-away in folks' possessions coming from central U.S.?)

do you have an outdoor feline presence? Sometimes the smell of cats will keep rodents away.

Good for the chickens (for their lice) and for the squirrels you could apply diatomaceous earth around the coop - Western Farm, Frizzelle Enos may carry D.E.

i have an "army" of cats on my acreage to keep all rodents at bay (my lab dog catches gophers too) :)