Other birds eating my hen's food

[Harley8181]

Here in Hawaii there really aren't any predators for free ranging chickens except maybe mongoose - but they're pretty small. I have three13 week old hens living in a coop with a temporary 4 foot fence around the structure that gives them about 15 feet of free space to roam. I eventually will let them out into the yard when they're a little bigger. The problem I have is other birds (pigeons, doves and Franklins) flying down and dining on my chicken's crumbles. The chickens are afraid of them because they're about the same size as they are. Any ideas about how to stop them from flying into the pen? My chickens don't fly out because I have clipped their wings.

 

[sourland]

The only thing that I can think of is a cover on the run.

 

[Harley8181]

The only thing that I can think of is a cover on the run.

Thanks, I may try try that if it isn't too expensive. I hate to buy more fencing only to be used for another 3 or 4 weeks. But that makes sense.

 

[Al Gerhart]

Get a treadle feeder to stop the wild birds. Check the reviews very carefully, many are poorly designed, the negative reviews will be those that actually had a rodent or wild bird problem and the feeder failed to stop them. The biggest two things is a spring loaded door, very few have that, and the ability to train without blocking the feeder lid open for weeks on end. You want the feed to "disappear" instantly so the vermin think it is gone so they will not test the feeder if they know the feed is inside.

 

[Harley8181]

Thanks for that idea. I'm trying a fabric sunscreen right now, seems to be working. All the birds used to just sit up in the surrounding trees and swoop down. They can't really do that now.

 

[Duckbreeder2020]

If the coop has a small door but the food in the coop it may help a little

 

[cmom]

I have netting covering my pens. I have more of a problem with birds of prey here. Good luck...

 

[Harley8181]

I have netting covering my pens. I have more of a problem with birds of prey here. Good luck...

Thank you! I have done a sun shade type cover over top and it seems to help.

 

[Dephora]

Hey, not sure which island you are on. But most farm supply places should sell bird net, that way you let some light in and when it rains, it doesn't get weighted down.

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...bird-netting-100-ft-x-14-ft-roll?cm_vc=-10005

Pretty cheap.

 

[cmom]

I have netting over my pens. I ran short and ordered some online which turned out to be crappy. I should have returned it but thought it would still deter aerial predators, WRONG. I bought this to replace the crappy netting with and it's great. It's like the original netting I put up.