STARLINGS, graphic text

[Bettacreek]

pips&peeps :

I sat outside many days this fall with my pellet gun shooting sparrows and starlings.....

My husband bought me a new high powered pellet gun with an awesome scope on it for Christmas!

Lmao. I was thinking about how good one could get with a pellet gun, lol. I've been scoping around for something for the wild rabbits around here... some of them are supposed to be able to kill a rabbit, but are ok to shoot in our area. Shame that the shotgun isn't allowed. Anyways, for the OP, can you use a shotgun? I'd be picking them out of the trees and such if you're able to.​

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Great job Lulu.

You are my hero.

 

[NateinFL]

I keep getting cardinals going into my pen, I happily catch them and let them go. Starlings I dont have but I would be glad to do what Lulu did if they were here in my pens. Using a dog sounds messy but not messier than a bunch of invasive birds pooping everywhere in the chicken quarters. Hope you dont have to go through that again!

 

[Windrider]

pips&peeps :

I don't think that would help deter them.

A few years back I had a make shift little coop set up for about 10 young birds. It had some small gaps so I wrapped it with a big tarp to keep the wind and the birds out. Well, those darned starlings figured out how to crawl under and up the tarp into the little coop, it was unbelievable, they're rats with wings I tell you!

Your experience made me think of something I'd seen on the Snopes website. Check out these dirty, sneaking starlings!
http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/carwash.asp​

 

[scooter147]

Quote:
Actually it's not messy at all. It's one quick bite and it's over, those little jaws are strong. IMHO it's more humane than me taking the tennis racket and playing birdie ball. Lulu loves her job, I believe she knows what I want her to do, she dispatches one and immediately looks for the next, once dead she could care less about them. I simple chase them around with the tennis racket and she snatches them out of the air. The chickens all move under the roost droppig board and let Lulu do her job. By the way, Lulu has never so much as looked at chicken, except for the cranky broody hen that pecks her butt. Lulu has to go in to the coop with me each time I go in and collect eggs or feed, she if a very good superviser ;-). I have had many a dog in my 47 years but this little sweetie has worked her way into my heart more than any other I've had. She is too smart for her own good. She literally goes with me (in the house and property) everywhere I go. I am actually on the look out for a rescue Boston between the ages of 1 to 2, but has my family and friends tell me it will be almost impossible to find another Lulu (pun intended)

 

[Attack Chicken]

I've had a couple sparrows go into my coop, but that was because the coopers hawk was after them... Scared me half to death opening up the door at the back and getting hit by 1-4 sparrows. Knocked me on my tooshy a few times!

 

[jlbpa]

Set up a platform feeder with a sturdy backstop on a pole or attach it to a tree. Get some suet cakes and keep the feeder stocked with these. Then get a pellet rifle. Once you start shooting the starling they won't actually come around as much...they learn to be afraid. It will take awhile but eventually you'll wonder where the starling are and you'll be wishing more starling would come around because it's so much fun shooting them

.

 

[Javamama]

Starlings just discovered our coop too. Nasty, bold, unrelenting pests. They were going in through the pop door and my stupid hens were just letting them take over. We spent the weekend in 18 degrees weather wrapping our run in extra bird netting and chicken wire. Thanks goodness we have a run that we could cover. It's been 2 days and they are still trying to find a way in. They are not giving up any time soon. They are hanging out in the tree just waiting for a chance to get in.
This is my first winter without a rooster so I think that's why they have invaded. I do not have a gun or a cat. Thinking I might have both before long. And a new rooster.

 

[scooter147]

My roosters completely ignore the starlings they don't view them as a threat to their hens. Now let that pecky Cooper's hawk come around and Slyvester and Junior gang up on him.

 

[gabby3535]

My pop-door is made out of a 'large' doggie door..........with the heavy plastic flap left in place, but slits made vertically (5) so the chickens can pass thru, in or out of the coop.
I have not had a problem with wild birds of any kind trying to get in the coop..........I think they are afraid to attempt entry thru the plastic strips.

You might want to try something like that for your pop door (even something, anything, hanging and slit vertically.......a hand towel perhaps..... would probably keep the starling out.)
Worth a try...............