Detering wild birds?

[kjackson1992]

Anybody have any tried and tested ways of stopping wild birds getting to your feed? Im fed up with these bloody bin chickens (ibis for anyone not aussie) raiding my food bins. And right now I dont really have the spare funds to be buying a treadle feeder, although if im honest im not sure even that would work.

Just looking for some suggestions. Thanks!

 

[aart]

Those buggers are pretty big birds!
...and why they call them 'bin chickens'?

 

[kjackson1992]

I've got muscovy ducks, ive tried enclosing the area with wire down low but obviously i can only take that so far as my drakes are pretty damn big. And they dont seem at all fussed by the ibis, they make no attempt to scare them off :/

 

[aart]

Free ranging has risks...not just for losing your birds but losing their feed.

 

[kjackson1992]

You should get some shelter for them, if you can't afford it you shouldn't have them.
Trigger happy chicken feeder works for hens, I don't know about ducks, it is very affordable.

They do have a solid structure, both of the 'areas' as i called them, one group has a fully enclosed shed that the door is left ajar on so that they can get in and out as they please and several other nesting / covered areas

The other group has an entire shade house / outdoor thing (dont really know how to describe it beyond that)

They just choose not to use them unless the weather is real bad

 

[Ribh]

Agree with Shadrach. Don't leave feed lying about. Bin chickens are opportunistic & aggressive. Treadle feeders work for me so my chickens have access to feed 24/7 but I do a supervised afternoon feed using open tubs. I feed in the coop, which has it's own fully enclosed run & the food isn't left around for foragers to find. Ibis, unfortunately, are heavy enough to open a treadle feeder so if I were you I would put down feed @ set times then remove it once your birds have finished feeding. My supervised feed takes between 15~20 minutes. If I need them to hurry along I just put out extra tubs. You are the best deterrent for Ibis ~ armed with a long stick!

 

[johntfs]

The OP is in Australia, heading into summer. He may have foxes but not raccoons.

Well, I believe I noted I was a "stoopid noobe." Plus, it's Australia. Don't you guys have fantasy/horror creatures as your normal wildlife? Kidding. Sort of. Ultimately though, figure free ranging birds and open access feed will draw opportunistic wildlife. First scavengers going for the feed and then other predators coming for the scavengers and the flock.

 

[AltonaAcres]

My chickens usually scare away small songbirds, but Ibis are pretty big. I wonder if you enclose your feeder with wire that had spaces large enough for chickens but too small for ibises to get to it.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Hmmm. I have heard that hanging CD's around keeps birds away. Again, that is more for small, flighty birds.do you have a protective rooster? My rooster scares away most large birds such as hawks.

 

[kjackson1992]

Again, i've got ducks. Not chickens, and all my ducks are completely free range. I've got 2 seperate 'areas' so that the males are seperated but they dont have a coop per-se. They just seek shelter in the garden under trees at night / when its raining etc.