Giant flocks of wild birds...

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

So since a few weeks ago we have had giant flicks of birds taking residence on our property. We have 3 acres and it is absolutely covered! Generally we get some flocks as they travel through but these ones are in no hurry to leave. I think maybe they are starlings or black birds. They are pooping on everything and i am concerned for my chickens to pick up some lice or mites.

any thoughts or ideas!!?!?

 

[Chickenlover0810]

you could try to make yourself look really big and run at them???

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Starlings are the worst. We have dealt with them for decades. Destroy nests as much as you can, and make it so they can't get into your feed or pens if possible. Otherwise they are horrible birds to have. We finally got a cat that goes after birds and our population has fallen off quite a bit.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

you could try to make yourself look really big and run at them???

Lol. Yeah trust me i have done all the things only weirdos do. The dogs will chase them off for awhile. I have shouted, chased thrown rocks and an empty bucket. But all temporary solutions.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

Starlings are the worst. We have dealt with them for decades. Destroy nests as much as you can, and make it so they can't get into your feed or pens if possible. Otherwise they are horrible birds to have. We finally got a cat that goes after birds and our population has fallen off quite a bit.

They mostly appear to walk around the lot to eat during the day. I haven’t seen them in the trees except a few that are over 50 feet high...

 

[aart]

Hopefully they will move after a few days....migration time.
Do your chickens free range?
Are the starlings in your range and/or run area?


Good time to......check them over real well for mites and/or lice.

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[cmom]

We have had a lot of migratory birds move through our area. The Robins and Cedar Waxwings eat the berries off of trees such as dogwood, dahoon holly, wild cherry to name ones we have. The birds gather in the hundreds for the berries and poop on everything including the greenhouse roof. It isn't easy to get off. Groups of brown cowbirds have been moving through too but visit the bird feeders. There is no way to scare them off. Here when the berries are gone the birds leave and all is well again. I do believe there is a chance that the chickens can get mites and lice from them if they are in anyway near them. I recently gave my coops their seasonal thorough clean out and sprayed thoroughly to hopefully avoid any pest that may try to move in. I also put fresh shaving with poultry dust in the nest boxes and on the floors of the coops that have floors in them. The added bonus is it also keeps away flies.

 

[centrarchid]

I am seeing similar with American Robins and Starlings. This not a normal occurrence. but it will pass.

 

[ColtHandorf]

Lol. Yeah trust me i have done all the things only weirdos do. The dogs will chase them off for awhile. I have shouted, chased thrown rocks and an empty bucket. But all temporary solutions.

I just pictured Sean Connery in Indiana Jones running along the beach with his umbrella. lol Maybe that'll do the trick. I have some small flocks of Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown Cowbirds, American Robins, and the usual smaller songbirds, Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, various sparrows, etc visiting the birds feeders and fields behind the house.

 

[hayley3]

I had starlings once inside the barn when there was a big snow but thankfully they moved on and never returned. It was pretty bad.