- Dec 10, 2013
- 9
- 0
- 9
I live in the PNW, on the east side of the Cascades and, like most of the country, we have been experiencing a pretty severe cold snap. During the course of the last week, I have had a flock of about 100 starlings decide to move in, lock, stock and barrel, into 3 of my pasture coops. Two of those coops do have an enclosed run, but the starlings fit through the fencing, and besides, I free-range my chickens during the day and the doors are usually open anyway. How in the world to I discourage the starlings from taking over the coops? They are seriously soiling my birds water, and feeders, and just as bad, they are devouring an obscene amount of feed. A bag of feed used to last me about 5 days. They are now stripping it out at the rate of a bag a day. I just can not afford that. They have to go. They are pretty fearless. I also live in an area of 5-6 acre places and we aren't really supposed to shoot out here. I have a pretty good egg business that I rely on to supplement my income. My husband was killed in an accident a little over a year ago, and I am raising 2 teenaged sons. I rely on that egg money. I also simply can NOT afford to feed starlings a bag of quality chicken feed every day. I have had chickens here for 5 years or more and never had this kind of problem before. I am sure I lost a bit of feed here and there. I didn't mind that really. But this has gotten CRAZY.