Should I ditch the bird feeder?

[cadeschicks]

We finally got our chicken coop built and made the big move. So, now I am finally getting back to more routine yard maintenance. I have a wild bird feeder and a bird bath in the back yard. I usually try to keep it filled all summer because we have a lot of songbirds that I enjoy watching. But now that we have chickens I'm not sure if this is a good idea. Our chickens stay in a roofed run most of the time, but I would like to let them out in the afternoons when our resident red-tailed hawk isn't around.

Would the detritus below the bird feeder be hazardous to the chickens? Would it be sufficient to put some type of low garden fence around the area or would it be bad just having that many wild birds in the area, even if I could find a way to quarden off the area directly around it?

 

[FireTigeris]

Wild birds can transmit disease...

I moved my feeder to the front yard away from my coop and run. (mine do not free range)

 

[Imp]

I have 2 bird feeders, 2 suet feeders, 2 squirrel feeders, and 3 cat food bowls, in the backyard with the chickens. Has not been a problem for me, but I think this is one of those things where you take your situation, beliefs and feelings on the subject and act accordingly.

Imp

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Depends, are the birds healthy where you live? Yes they can carry disease but typically you can spot diseased birds easily. Most diseases are transmitted from same species in direct, or nearly direct contact, and fresh air and sunshine kill most harmful virus and bacteria quickly. It is possible to coexist in health, overcrowding areas is never beneficial.

 

[ButchGood]

I have 2 bird feeders, 2 suet feeders, 2 squirrel feeders, and 3 cat food bowls, in the backyard with the chickens. Has not been a problem for me, but I think this is one of those things where you take your situation, beliefs and feelings on the subject and act accordingly.

Imp

I like hearing this. I have bird feeders everywhere. I'm currently fencing 1.5 acres for the birds to free range. My property is like a wildlife refuge and we like it that way. My birds will have to adapt. I really don't think its going to be a problem.

 

[devora]

If I take it away there may be a revolt.

 

[cadeschicks]

I'm glad to see so many have bird feeders without issues. I was feeling kind of guilty about not feeding the wild birds just because we got chickens.

 

[coonhoundmama87]

I too have bird feeders and have absolutely no issues from it. The chickens clean up any of the mess from the feeders and since I just put BOSS in my feeders they go crazy when I fill them for the seed that hits the ground. My roosters start calling hens before I even start!

 

[ButchGood]

AWSOME looking place you have there devora.

 

[Sparklewina]

The wild birds were coming into my yard to eat whatever bits of scratch or crumble the chickies didn't eat, so I put up a feeder nearby to keep the birds fed without having so much direct contact between the chickens and wild birds. In the end I feel like the chickens share the same habitat as the local wild birds so there's going to be some cross contamination no matter what (we have a starling nest in a tree in the chicken yard and they are very poopy birds, there is starling poop on the ground everywhere right below the nest). I plan on putting a bird bath up so the wild birds have an alternate water source than my chicken waterer.