I DETEST starlings.....and yet I fell guilty....

[DelcoChix]

Just want to vent....sorry

I really am an animal lover since, ok, the last century....but I absloutely HATE starlings. Won't go into boring details, just saying they are so darn persistent, and they poop everywhere...and they destroy other birds eggs....and they poop everywhere...but now, they are IN my coops and runs and cleaning me out of feed. I am tempted to let my (very eager) 17yo DS go out with his airsoft gun and do some damage...except they are IN my runs--don't want to hit one of my girls. AARGGHhhhhh...Starling poop is all over my lovely little 4'w X 12'l, totally enclosed run (2"x4" wire)...they found the one open area (about 4"x6") where the run attaches to the coop and not just one or two birds found their way in, more like 25-30....my seven little pullets (not so little, Speckled Sussexes, Wellies, and BLRW's) were IN the coop while the nasty Starlings were in the enclosed/roofed run, chowing down...I did buy some 1" plastic netting at Lowe's but can't wrap it up until the weekend--silly job and snow, not enough time yet...and then they are also in our really nice shed/coop too, that we leave open for Nugget and Patty, our renegade Buckeyes who have free rein as the other hens pick on them...so those nasty starlings found out they can fly in that shed where the Buckeyes feeders are...and also our 'special girls' coop/run, where the bantam cochins, Silkie and Sultan live....nothing is sacred....
OK, I have to admit, I just hate them specifically..I have five wild birdfeeders in the yard and chase them away from there too...they usually bully all the other wild birds away (cardinals, bluejays, woodpeckers, buntings,nuthatches,etc.)....
I just detest them but can't find myself slaughtering them...except in my head...am I a loser or what?

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Try to think of it this way...the more you let in, the more diseases that could be brought to your birds. Diseases that can KILL your own birds.

 

[Cetawin]

The airsoft gun will do nothing but maybe scare them other than tick them off. Remember those are only powerful enough to hit a human and sting at close range...not break skin or do major damage. Kill them and be done with it...use a .22 or pellet gun but the airsoft gun or rifle will not kill them.

 

[soap&eggs]

starlings were the only birds we as kids were allowed to shoot with our BB guns..dad even told us (( girls )) when they were getting in milk house & such. we had them acouple years past nesting in eve of house..hole went into walls of bedroom..could hear them chirping & such...took forever to get hubby to close up hole...and last summer nested under garage roof..chucked steelwool into holes..prevented them from gettin back in...down right nasty bird.

 

[Mahonri]

Like pidgeons and doves, STARLINGS are RATS of the air and should be EXTERMINATED as much as possible.
They spread disease. I could spit on the grave of the person who brought a pair of starlings to America from Europe.

Have DS KILL all of them with a pellet gun, don't feel guilty and like Lot's wife, don't look back!

 

[DelcoChix]

Thanks for your replies everyone! As I said, I really am a softie...killing something is a problem for me, even when it's 'right.' Sad but true--have had the neighbor (who is a hunter/fisherman and has lots of guns) come over to put a sad little baby 'coon out of it's misery last summer (it had been hit by a car and managed to crawl 100 feet into our yard)...but I went in the house while my dh showed him where it was. I knew that was necessary and have not one regret...but if I can I will avoid it.
Not sure if my ds would be up to the task, he's pretty tough on the football field and with the airssoft guns and Call of Duty, but to really kill something, I don't know--he can't even clean up an animal mess in the house w/o gagging....plus I have to confess, the airsoft gun is the closest thing we have to a weapon. Well, sometimes the dogs are a bit flatulent, but while that's annoying and sometimes painful it's not lethal, nor predictable.
My other concern regarding shooting starlings is the close quarters--they are getting in the chickens run...if I herd the hens inside of course the nasty culprits depart--as much as I hate them, they are smart. Was hoping for warmer weather today (like in the 30's), dd and I are heading out to wrap the 1" netting around the runs that I can--can't hurt but might be a deterrent...but the howling wind and grey skies aren't encouraging us to go out!
Again, I totally agree with you all--just have learned after almost half a century, that killing something I don't like, just because it's mean, ugly, dirty, nasty, domineering, obnoxious (I can go on) isn't in my dna...jury's still out whether that is a good thing or a not so good thing. Oh well, just like Popeye says, "I yam what I yam..."

 

[seedcorn]

Quote:
What is wrong w/doves? Agree on starlings, some environmentalist wanted a natural remedy for corn borers. Real Good Idea, NOT. Kill them all. They are smart tho. When I go out with gun, they get themselves lost.

 

[Bunnylady]

I know what you mean. I say, "It's my nature to nurture;" it's tough to turn that off, even when you know it is something that must be done. Hopefully you will find a way to exclude the little varmints, and more severe means of repression won't be necessary!

 

[TinkleTurkey]

I myself have a great appreciation for nature and love birds

In fact, starlings are my HANDS-DOWN FAVORITE BIRD. I have kept them as pets - they are so clever and entertaining, and started me down my path to total bird-takeover when I was 12. However, they can be pests and the fact is there are far too many of them. It would be in the best interest of everyone, including the starlings themselves, if there were fewer.

I say kill em.

 

[DelcoChix]

Quote:
OK TinkleTurkey...you made me laugh out loud! Thanks! First they are your all time favorite...then KILL EM! Please, don't take offense--If I stand back and watch them the reason I detest them is they have managed to adapt to life in the US in fine form, and they have a take-no-prisoners way of doing it, and arn it, they are smart--so I do have a very reluctant kind of admiration for them, if that's the right word...
But they are beyond a nuisance so I do need to find a way to eliminate the problem...will try the netting first...then maybe borrow the stepdad's .22 and leave it for my ds while I head out for a ride, or to the mall...as long as he also picks up the remains. yuk.