Keeping wild birds away from chickens

[Stagger Lee]

Hi there,

I have an open pen and am wondering if it should be enclosed in to protect my birds. Not so much from predation but disease, parasites etc. Lately I have expereinced an influx of small birds hanging around the pen looking for a free meal.

Thanks.

 

[SpottedCrow]

To be honest, I feed the wild birds in the front yard and the chickens have the backyard. I haven't been too concerned with diseases that can be passed back and forth. I'm not being cavalier. I'm sure that the English Sparrows and the European Starlings can catch something from my birds and vice versa. You could try putting bird netting over the coop so that the small birds can't get at the chicken food.
My Leghorn Obelisk chases the birds out of "her" yard. Even if it was the only pair of Baltimore Orioles I have ever seen in my yard.

 

[urbanagrarian]

One thought to consider in addition to disease is all the chicken feed that the wild birds will eat. You may end up saving more money on feed than the money you have to spend on covering the pen.

I found that the wild birds became bolder and bolder, and would enter the coop or other building if they think there is feed available inside once they started sharing my chicken's feed.

Joan
http://urban-agrarian.blogspot.com/

 

[chickbea]

I only feed the wild birds in the late fall through early spring, and then I only feed suet so that there isn't such a mess on the ground.
I cover my run with berry netting and pull it fairly tight, that way the birds just bounce off of it as they come in. I put it on too loose the first time I did it, and entangled a blue jay and a chipmunk. Luckily I got to them before they hurt themselves, but they were none too happy!

 

[Lofty Dreams]

small netting or cats