help we have a thief!

[cloudpurple]

wondering if anyone out there has any advice!
we have 6 beautiful hens and we have been getting plenty of eggs daily but we discovered yesterday we have a thief - a v v v large seagull - it marches straight into the chicken house and takes the eggs.

the hens seem to just run away!
today i must have startled it as dropped 2 eggs but they were broken and the hens then started eating them.
we are getting 2 re homing hens this week as well so we need someway of solving this.
we can't cover our chicken coop as it is too big.
we can't collect eggs as soon as they are laid as we are out at work
any ideas what we do?

many thanks

cloudpurple
isle of lewis, scotland

 

[Darklingstorm]

If the bird is flying pretty much straight in or very near the pop door, might try hanging netting over the fly-in zone only.
Can you leave the girls inside for a couple of days, hopefully the bird will see the restaurant is closed for business and move on.

Sorry I couldn't be of better help

 

[Mtn Margie]

I don't think seagulls are a protected species. Double check with your local authorities and then shoot it or trap it. They are very smart birds and can learn from each other, so the sooner you get rid of the problem bird, the better.

 

[MareeZoCool]

Could you cover the nesting boxes area with chicken wire? ~ Just section off the area inside the coop.

 

[ScaredOfShadows]

only way to deal with a flying predator is to cover the run with bird or deer netting. stake you a couple really tall poles into the middle of the run area, and then drape the netting over the poles and ziptie to your fence.

Seagulls are quite smart, if you can't shoot the problem bird, you will soon have more than one hanging around learning to thrift your eggs. - the no fly zone won't work - seagulls are quite comfortable walking around on the ground especially if they know they can get a good easy meal.

 

[ranchhand]

These rollout nest boxes might give you some ideas.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=287684

 

[cloudpurple]

thanks for all your ideas - i think trying a mass net covering (or shooting the flipping thing!) might be the answer
will let you know

 

[cloudpurple]

thank you for all your ideas well we have made a big hen tent for the short term!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/frank72/5955298175/in/photostream

then we are going to be borrowing a friends sling shot and they are going to bring their slug gun to take a pop at it
it took all the eggs today so this is war!!

 

[chickenlovefever]

If you can, go to the nearest Walmart and go straight to the hunting department. Find A sort of predatory bird decoy, Such as a owl, Hawk or any other predatory bird they may have, and hang it/Strap it to the top of the pen where he may enter or somewhere closer to it. The decoy should eem as a predator or a challenge to the seagull, and scare it away. I had a problem where barn Swallows were invading my coop, so I went and bought two owl decoys and set them atop of my pen, and hurry, no more Swallows! i hope this helps

 

[theFox]

Quote:
Don't even think of shooting a seagull, they are in fact protected.