how to keep little wild birds out of coop

[henryetta]

Im having a real problem with the little sparrows comming into my coop. I have to leave it open because my dear hens come in to give me their eggs. Not only are they eating my girls food, but it's really bothering me after reading all these mite issues,and know they could be infected and bring them to my birds. I actually started putting food/scratch on top of the coop and it seemed to work to keep them outside, but on the other hand, i felt i was just attracting MORE birds. Any suggestions??? Thanks

 

[HidingInTheHenHouse]

I am usually waging a never ending battle with the local wild birds, mostly sparrows and starlings. In the winter, the starlings were eating 3/4 of the food.

Here are all the things I've done, but I still see a couple now and then:
Covered the entire coop/run with 1" plastic netting (chicken wire doesn't work, the sparrows can squeeze through the round openings)
Got a really good air rifle with scope, and shot as many as I could
Got a repeating sparrow trap and did trap and kill
Switched the hens to pellets instead of crumbles (sparrows have a harder time eating pellets)
Installed a special made door which is a much smaller opening for the hens to enter and leave the attached run so the main door is closed.

 

[SimplyForties]

Do you have a pop door for your hens to come in and out of and is that what the birds are going through or is it a big door? If it's a big door, a pop door "might" thwart them. Now that they know where the food is, it might not!

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I"m having the same problem here. TONS of tiny wild birds are coming in. I'm thinking of getting some fine netting and throwing it over the whole works. That will be ALOT of netting but I think it will be worth it. Good luck to all of us with this. Those little birds are annoying! I do have a little evil cochin who chases them out. The others just sit right next to them (evil silkies)

 

[Hannahs Hollow]

Has anyone tried a short beaded curtain for the chickie door? I was thinking but.... It is sub zero 24/7 here and I don't want to try while I am at work before dark and home after dark. What if they refuse to go through it? Mind you they are very inquisitive... Have to be larger beads on strong tests of fishing line... Maybe I will figure it out this weekend. Little birds come for the food and stay for the heat and leave the gift of mites behind.

I will not kill wild birds and those that do...... Well, your fighting a losing battle and destroying the world.

 

[SusanCroteau]

What is a pop door!

 

[PunkinPeep]

A pop door is an opening just large enough to allow chickens to enter and exit ... as opposed to a people - sized door.

 

[SusanCroteau]

Well I have one of those and the little birds fly through it.. I even put a little roof over the outside entry to protect them from snowfall off the roof. And they are brave enough to fly through it also! Thanks for your response!

 

[aart]

Has anyone tried a short beaded curtain for the chickie door? I was thinking but.... It is sub zero 24/7 here and I don't want to try while I am at work before dark and home after dark. What if they refuse to go through it? Mind you they are very inquisitive... Have to be larger beads on strong tests of fishing line... Maybe I will figure it out this weekend. Little birds come for the food and stay for the heat and leave the gift of mites behind.

I will not kill wild birds and those that do...... Well, your fighting a losing battle and destroying the world.

I'd advise against using beads unless they were pretty big like quarter coin sized- too big for a bird to swallow.....

...but folks have put up strips of heavy but flexible plastic, a few at time from either side so the birds get used to pushing thru them, kind of like on industrial freezers or cold rooms