Best door in chicken nest coop to keep out wild birds.

[Veb]

Does anybody have idea how to keep wild birds out of nesting coup, have tried most things, but sparrows manage to find way in. Recently had infestation from mites from wild birds. Any suggestions and pictures appreciated. Thanks veb

 

[saysfaa]

Plastic flaps?? Like in the first post of this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/electric-fence-and-chicken-door-coop-update.170332/

 

[Mamatomany123]

Do you have a secure run? I would work on keeping them out of there instead. Not only will the spread horrible diseases, such as MG which is a lifelong disease, but I'm sure they're eating tha majority of your chicken feed.

 

[Veb]

Do you have a secure run? I would work on keeping them out of there instead. Not only will the spread horrible diseases, such as MG which is a lifelong disease, but I'm sure they're eating tha majority of your chicken feed.

You are absolutely right, they do eat a lot of feed. And recently lost a little silkie, I think from mites. We have a lot of sparrows and black starling pests on our farm. Yes the run is very secure from foxes and large birds but the smaller birds cget through the chicken wire and then into the coup even though the coup has a small door like a dog door into the coup with streamers to deter the sparrows they have wised up, and once again found their way in. The run yard is very large for three silkies with chicken wire all around and on the roof, probably expensive to redo with small chicken wire.

 

[Veb]

You are absolutely right, they do eat a lot of feed. And recently lost a little silkie, I think from mites. We have a lot of sparrows and black starling pests on our farm. Yes the run is very secure from foxes and large birds but the smaller birds cget through the chicken wire and then into the coup even though the coup has a small door like a dog door into the coup with streamers to deter the sparrows they have wised up, and once again found their way in. The run yard is very large for three silkies with chicken wire all around and on the roof, probably expensive to redo with small chicken wire.

 

[Mamatomany123]

You are absolutely right, they do eat a lot of feed. And recently lost a little silkie, I think from mites. We have a lot of sparrows and black starling pests on our farm. Yes the run is very secure from foxes and large birds but the smaller birds cget through the chicken wire and then into the coup even though the coup has a small door like a dog door into the coup with streamers to deter the sparrows they have wised up, and once again found their way in. The run yard is very large for three silkies with chicken wire all around and on the roof, probably expensive to redo with small chicken wire.

Do you have hardware cloth on the bottom half? If so then I would cover the rest with some bird netting. That's what I had to do. My run is hardware cloth about 2/3 of the way up and the sparrows were getting in through the top. Covered the rest in netting (make sure to pull tight) and they can no longer get in.

 

[Veb]

Do you have hardware cloth on the bottom half? If so then I would cover the rest with some bird netting. That's what I had to do. My run is hardware cloth about 2/3 of the way up and the sparrows were getting in through the top. Covered the rest in netting (make sure to pull tight) and they can no longer get in.

What is hardware cloth. I’m in Australia not heard of this. Is is the same as shade cloth, which I just thought of might work. Thanks very much for your input, much appreciated.

 

[Veb]

Plastic flaps?? Like in the first post of this thread https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/electric-fence-and-chicken-door-coop-update.170332/

i did try this plastic flap idea when they were smaller, they were hesitant to use it. But thankyou certainly worth another try now they are fully grown silkies are sooks, too, bit of a problem. The sparrows and black birds afraid of nothing, they are a nuisance. Thankyou for you advice. Much appreciated.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What is hardware cloth. I’m in Australia not heard of this.

Hardware cloth is a small opening metal mesh, i.e. https://www.darbywiremesh.com/galvanized-hardware-cloth/

 

[Veb]

rosemarythyme, thankyou for your reply. We call it birdmesh here, but it’s quite expensive to use for the size of my chook run which is already covered with chicken wire which the sparrows and black birds fly straight through. But I may think about shade mesh which would do the job and be much cheaper. Regards veb