Preventing birds from perching and pooping on top of 5 gallon feeder/waterer

[NicholeT]

For those of you who feed and water with 5 gallon buckets, Do you use anything on top to prevent them from pooping on the lids? I hate having to try to open the lids to access clean food and water with poo all over them. I've tried a few things (cardboard taped on- they ate the tape) another lid slightly fastened- they knock them off. I've considered funnels or a traffic cone but before I buy anything else I thought I would see what ya'll do.

 

[Know it All]

Funnels work. I've used them before. Silly hens for eating the tape! It's like they look for ways to frustrate their hoomans. Chickens can be so naughty

 

[3KillerBs]

What does your setup look like?

I don't have a lot of trouble with this -- at least not with adults.

 

[CaretakerCarol]

I have used these with success to prevent roosting

https://www.amazon.com/BORHOOD-Deterrent-Squirrel-Raccoon-Defender/dp/B0C2PB6FVV/ref=sr_1_10?crid=2G1I2N5WWL4GH&keywords=bird+deterrents+for+outside&qid=1686113561&sprefix=,aps,169&sr=8-10

 

[Al Gerhart]

Should be simple enough to buy a 10' roll of light gauge roof flashing and make a cone using a couple of screws. Or some heavy gauge non corrugated cardboard to form a cone then get some newspaper or junk mail and some flour and water and paper mache that puppy so it is stiff enough to work.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I use a large funnel. The birds are so used to it that they no longer try to get on top of the waterer.

 

[blackdog043]

I place a big, 10 inch I think, orange funnel on top, I also use gamma lids, easy screw on and off.

 

[Nomadicus]

I was thinking about coating my lids with STP or Slick 50 or similar. I want them to slide off every time they get on top. For the feeders that are open top i put a gallon can down in the feeder so they can't get in to eat from the inside. A cone shaped object is the only way I have thought of that would work. Anything else just becomes another roost.

 

[Theorrin]

Funnels work. I've used them before. Silly hens for eating the tape! It's like they look for ways to frustrate their hoomans. Chickens can be so naughty

i put up some visqueen as an added extra layer to block out wind before. next day it was torn to shreds lol

 

[mossyoakpro]

For those of you who feed and water with 5 gallon buckets, Do you use anything on top to prevent them from pooping on the lids? I hate having to try to open the lids to access clean food and water with poo all over them. I've tried a few things (cardboard taped on- they ate the tape) another lid slightly fastened- they knock them off. I've considered funnels or a traffic cone but before I buy anything else I thought I would see what ya'll do.

I went to the hardware store and bought a cheap funnel and gorilla taped it to the top....