starlings

[gawildlife]

My question is will starlings peck and eat eggs out of nests?  I have a well-behaved flock of 45 hens right now, with no previous egg-pecking tendencies.  Several times over the last 2 weeks I found some pecked eggs or evidence of eggs that had been cracked and eaten.  I noticed if I kept the large people door to my walk-in coop closed that no eggs are pecked/eaten, but if I leave the big door open there is evidence of pecking.

Any ideas anyone?  

YES! They're also documented to kill other species, like bluebirds and purple martins, to steal nesting cavities. Another species known to destroy the eggs and nests of other cavity nesters is the english sparrow, another non native species.

 

[gawildlife]

No slow death - non targeted species can be released, and the pests can be eliminated painlessly using a trash bag and auto exhaust for carbon monoxide.   Certainly more humane than the way the crows treat the young starlings... rip them from their nests by the beak and fly off- with them  to  eat them .

The netting is properly known as a mist net being constructed of very fine filaments to be almost invisible to the naked eye. It's most common use is by ornithologists for the safe capture of migrating neotropicals for banding and research. They also have a very limited role in the use you describe or in my own nuisance wildlife control industry. Because I am somewhat familiar with the use of mist nets I will say I consider irresponsible to advocate their use in nuisance bird control without also stipulating that due to the indiscriminate nature of these devices the nets require constant monitoring. A delay of even minutes may result in the death of a non target species.
Also I need to thump some folks on the tail pipe euthanasia method. Please avail yourselves of the AVMA Guidelines for Euthanasia, https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pa...utm_term=issues-animal_welfare-euthanasia-pdf. Not only is the tailpipe inherently inhumane due to the heat generated via the tailpipe but also highly ineffective due to the efficiency of modern pollution control devices on modern vehicles which greatly reduces the CO outputs of combustion.
If inhalants are indicated CO2, carbon di oxide is the better option and accepted by the AVMA. However for small birds like starling, sparrows and pigeons cervical dislocation is the simpler, easier and better accepted method.