Any ideas of how to stop House Sparrows from eating all the chicken feed???

[dbg99]

We have 3 red shavers in our backyard, with chicken feeder inside the coop which is obviously in the run. Dozens and dozens of house sparrows (http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/introduced-land-birds/page-11) fly into the coop and nail the feed each and every day. I'm not really keen on having to go out twice per day or so to feed the chickens and would rather the feeder do it's job. Any ideas how to stop the sparrows from nailing the food, short of building or buying a trestle feeder? Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Hi. I am a relative newbie with chickens so I don't know if my advice is the best or not. I was having trouble with the rats-on-wings (sparrows!) too so I nailed up one of those curtains made up of strips of plastic. I put up one over the pop-hole and another over the main door as I have to leave it open at them moment as it is soooo hot here in New Zealand. The chooks haven't worried about the plastic strips, but the sparrows have completely stopped getting into the house. Hope that is of some help.

 

[redsoxs]

Sparrow traps are very effective.

 

[dbg99]

Hi Kiwi Chick - i'm in NZ as well. Any chance of a picture of the plastic curtain you have up. Would love to see it. Thanks.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Love the idea of the plastic strips & would also like to see a pic - we have the same problem here in Louisiana!

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Hi. I will take a couple of photos tomorrow and get one of my children to load it. Dbg99, I got them from Hammer Hardware for about $15-16 each but I think they are also in Mitre 10 Mega for about $12. Nighttime now, off to rub vaseline on chook legs just in case....oh the things you do for chooks!

 

[KIWI CHICK]

Oh forgot to ask, what part of NZ are you dbg99? We are in the Waikato.

 

[dbg99]

Hi Kiwi Chick...we are in the Mount. I would love to see pictures of what you've done to stop the sparrows...thanks for that!!!!! Is it like a chopped up thin plastic cutting board that you've hung to cover the door? I've got a large ziplock bag hanging over the door with cd's dangling as well but hasn't really stopped them. Thinking I need something a bit thicker/more solid to stop the sparrows going in.
Cheers.

 

[cyw iar]

I have the same problem, with a similar bird - they're either starlings or grackles, I'm not sure I know the difference. There's a flock of at least twenty that get into the henhaus every day and make an unbelievable mess. Poop all over the walls, rafters, and windows, some with blood in it - it's not only the mess, it's what they might be carrying to our flock. Yesterday I tried hanging up strips of bright orange flagging and not only did it not keep the pest birds out, it confused half the chickens into a state of panic - somehow it must look like a solid wall to them. Can't wait to see a picture; these little buggers are really making me frustrated.

 

[Mattemma]

http://www.sparrowtraps.net/

Buy or build.It works well.Put it out whenever there is a problem.Few days no problem birds.Catches mice and chipmunks too.Easy to get out the non-target birds. I have had cardinals go in the trap.