Sparrows & Wrens are eating us out of house and coop.

[BubbaLikesIt]

I let the chickens out in the morning and leave the door open to the coop so they can go in and lay eggs, eat chicken feed and get water. I now have at least 1000 sparrows and wrens eating chicken feed so fast it's unbelievable. They eat more than 50 chickens would eat in a day. This is a plague. I know everybody has got to eat but this is now ridiculous.

I was thinking of putting a small door on the side of the run that I can open and close and hang "hippie beads" in the opening. Will that hamper the chickens? Will it keep the little birds out? I don't know but before I commit to this idea I wanted to hear about any other ideas that have been tried and tested.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Treadle feeder will solve that.

 

[bucky52]

I am having the same problem.They fowl the chicken feeder and water.with their droppings.I have two layers of wire on my run.welded and poultry wire.they fly though a 1" opening like its not even their.This summer I put up 1/4 netting on the run.that helped some.but they are stilling coming in.Half of my run is roofed so my girls can have a dry area during wet weather.now they are roosting there.I have been dumping a lot of their feed due to bird droppings.I'm at loss as what to do.

 

[enola]

Post #2 is the answer to your question.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I now have at least 1000 sparrows and wrens eating chicken feed so fast it's unbelievable. This is a plague.

Another solution is to keep your feed inside the coop with a pop door that has vinyl slats of fabric to allow chickens to walk through but discourage other birds similar to the beads you suggested.




Best DIY feeder I have encountered.
Click on the link:

 

[aart]

Takes some training......putting up one strip every few days from outside edges of door or leaving center strip up.

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