Starlings - Major Pests

[Miss Lydia]

The only duck who comes in here is my muscovy drake that I raised, he comes in an visits often and my gander will come in if the back door gets left open I use to be a fanatic about my house being clean, but now I just try to keep the poop cleaned up off the floor. I'm just kidding I could never let my birds come in like that on the video. But I'm not a fanatic anymore thank goodness.

 

[KansasKid]

saying this i'll probably jynx myself, but so far our lowest here has been 25˚ its supposed to be 68˚ tomorrow (knock on wood)

 

[GrannyCarol]

Last year, when it got really cold, the starlings came around to our heated water, ate our duck food and pooped ALL over everything. They left when the weather warmed up and seemed to have left us with bird lice as a nice present! yay! I'm hoping to have some good ideas for this year. :\\

 

[evansacres]

Carol - that's exactly what I'm afraid of!! I made sure to only fill the water tubs high enough for the ducks to have enough water but low enough from the top so that the starlings can't reach it by sitting on the edge. The feed is another issue... I have basically done the same thing but I'm sure they are just landing in the dish - as yesterday there was no food left in it but lots of lovely gifts were left behind

I WILL NOT PUT THE FEED BACK IN THE DUCK HOUSE - I'd rather the darn things be outside then transferring who know's what in the duck house!!!! I'm waiting for my husband to come back from his chores so that we can put the chicken wire over the top. I'm pretty sure they are just going to go through the wire on the sides, unless I cover the whole pen with the chicken wire....ugghhhh - what a pain in the butt!! I put extra seed down out by the ACTUAL bird feeders but of course it seems the duck food is much more enjoyable

 

[KansasKid]

Try only putting food/water in for them at night if you can and just let them have access to a water source out in there run maybe for the day?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't have a problem with starlings but if I don't keep my wild bird feeder full they will visit the feeders I have out for my chickens and ducks, Like I said earlier the chipmonks eat alot of my feed, I think if it's not one thing it's another.

 

[70%cocoa]

What about trapping then gassing with car exhaust?

Here are traps you can buy that work for starlings (they ship to the US): http://www.mynamagnet.com.au/Default.asp?c=15437

 

[Ducks and Banny hens]

Where I live, it's legal to shoot as many starlings, grackles, blackbirds, cowbirds, and crows as you like.