Birds are building a nest in the coop

[gritsar]

and I'm not talking about my chickens.
Since last spring I've had a single sparrow living with my chickens. I've tried everything to run him off, but he always comes back. He sleeps, eats and dustbathes with my chickens.
Now apparently he/she has taken a mate and they are building nests in my coop, on the upper half of the human door. DH blocked off all the openings near the roof when he built the coop. The only way this booger gets in is to go through the pop door; which he does right along with the chickens.
I have torn down three nests so far. I was just out there and there's a new one in the same exact spot.
I wonder if I'm wasting my time by even trying.

 

[tinychicky]

that's like the birds who always try to nest in a hole in the outside wall of our house! it's much too small, but they come back every year to try and widen it. you should see the look on peoples faces when we tell them it's the bird who's tapping just outside the door!

 

[MotherJean]

I'd keep making the effort to deter the wild ones from your coop. You may have read the recent thread where I talked about rescuing the baby robin? In talking with the wildlife rescue folks who took the chick off my hands, I was told that most wild birds have mites/lice. I wouldn't want to take a chance on those wild birds possibly bringing an infestation to my coop and birds. Mites (in particular) are just so hard to eradicate.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I wonder if I'm wasting my time by even trying

Put a mouse trap in the nest​

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Put a mouse trap in the nest

No thanks. I only want to deter them from building a nest, not kill them.

 

[lotzahenz]

What kind of sparrow? Some of them are protected, but if it is a common house sparrow, you really should "cull" it. If it is another type, I'd just keep throwing out the nest, maybe put out a bird house somewhere else? HenZ

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Not sure, although not like the common house sparrow I'm used to seeing. There are a ton of other places for them to build their nest, including several old abadoned martin houses.

 

[Beekissed]

Hang some fake snakes in your rafters and you won't have this problem any longer. Preferably black ones and near the current nesting site. This worked well for my mother when these same type birds kept building nests on her log cabin. Just make sure to move the snake to a new location now and again so that it looks like it is traveling and not dead.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Thank you.