I Am Sooo Sick & Tired Of These Things!!! Sparrows, Rant!!!

[Cynthia12]

YES!! I am having the same problem, and am also worried about the mites or lice. Anyone, any suggestions..it's driving me crazy. I walk out in the morning to let my chickens out, and here come the sparrows as if I'm there for them too!
In the coop, outside the coop, in their water...in fact, just this morning, the water looked different to me..could they be bathing in it?
Man...

and

and

and>>

We thought of the owl thing, but see here that it hasn't helped.
So, what is a sparrow trap, and I did wonder if there was such a thing? WHERE..do I get one?!
Thanks, help, anyone!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Not onlyl will they bathe in the water, but they will POOP it in. Every day when I change my chickens' water bowls, I dump out sparrow poop from their water, clean and fill them back up. Soon, I'll be using the pop bottle waterers (once it stays below freezing) and I use those in the coop.

If you live somewhere without a heavy snow load, invest in some bird netting. I have some brand new for sale because I can't use it without adding a lot more support beams to my runs and spending lots of money.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Oh and they traps--I've found them online and on eBay. My MIL got hers at the feed store for about $50

 

[ultasol]

I wonder if you can use glue traps baited with food like are used for mice.. put them where the chickens can't reach them..
Jean seems to have good success with her sparrow trap Heather, you might try shooting her an email.

 

[jjthink]

Maybe just maybe with covered runs they will take a hike and the numbers will greatly reduce. It really does sound like you have them in epidemic proportions!!

I think somebody else on BYC had a sparrow rant and there may have been some ideas in that thread. Sorry that I can't remember whose thread it was......

JJ

 

[Cynthia12]

Quote:
Not onlyl will they bathe in the water, but they will POOP it in. Every day when I change my chickens' water bowls, I dump out sparrow poop from their water, clean and fill them back up. Soon, I'll be using the pop bottle waterers (once it stays below freezing) and I use those in the coop.

If you live somewhere without a heavy snow load, invest in some bird netting. I have some brand new for sale because I can't use it without adding a lot more support beams to my runs and spending lots of money.

We do have a heavy snow here in Utah. So, I am glad you brought to mind the poo in the water too...I am changing it tomorrow. I just put the warming dish out there for them..the sparrows love the warmer water too.
I will have to look on e-bay...

 

[Cynthia12]

I just went to e-bay and ordered a sparrow trap..didn't even know that they existed until I came on here...now, what to do with them once we catch them. I figure that there will only be one at a time..maybe two, if they trip the trap..hmm, trip the trap. And, I need to figure out where to put it. Thinking, thinking... I hope this works..even if it takes a while to catch them all...I will even shut the door to the coop for a while when I know egg laying is done..and not throw out scratch for a while..man, my chickens love their scratch in the winter. The sparrows too, they think I'm calling them when I call the chickens.
Guess I'll see how this works.

 

[SAM1646]

I have the same problem. Those darn sparrow. My mother suggested that I might put up some aluminum foil that was the old school way. So Im going to try that. Just hang some long strips on the coop and the run. I dont know what else to try!!! So Im going to give it a shot.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

I had a terrible sparrow problem; they were eating more feed than the chickens were. My chickens also got poultry ticks from wild birds. I like to blame those on the sparrows, but I really don't know for sure. I made a treadle feeder and that dramatically reduced the number of sparrows visiting my yard. It really isn't all that hard to do. You can see plans in the link in my sig.

 

[Mattemma]

I have the repeating sparrow trap from TX. Works good but lately I catch everyone but the sparrows.Still I am hopeful once the food disappears I will get the birds again. For a while I caught a lot of them. You can move the trap to find a good spot.I keep mine by the window,so I can check who I caught.The sparrows in a trap WILL attack any natives you catch,so you need to get the natives out quick.I keep all the feed and water in the coop now,and have drained the pond. You can give the birds to a raptor center,or just euthanise them.

The trap also works well at catching chipmunks!