Wild Bird Pests!! How to get rid of them?

[Hopperkiller]

They will also access a pop door. They used mine for 2 years and scarecrows, cd's flashing in the wind did not deter them in the least. I started feeding chickens myself but as soon as i open the container they started to show up. Even the cottontails showed up waiting for me to walk off. I gave up since their is no solution.

 

[Folly's place]

We also have a 'human sized 'door to our coop and run, and something that's helped is hanging a double layer of plastic sheeting over the upper part of the door. Only the lower 15" or so is open, and the wild birds are reluctant to enter the coop there.
If it's possible to get the chickens out, or move them at night to a separate section, and then have a nasty starling extermination event in the morning? Yucky, but it would help.
Mary

 

[GldnValleyHens]

We also have a 'human sized 'door to our coop and run, and something that's helped is hanging a double layer of plastic sheeting over the upper part of the door. Only the lower 15" or so is open, and the wild birds are reluctant to enter the coop there.
If it's possible to get the chickens out, or move them at night to a separate section, and then have a nasty starling extermination event in the morning? Yucky, but it would help.
Mary

Yes, she could trap the birds inside, and gas em! Of course the coop would have to be aired out thoroughly to avoid the chickens dying.

 

[PouleNoire]

I don't know if I'm going to go that far...but I will try to limit access through the bigger doors and close up tighter at night hopefully that will show progress.

 

[RWise]

I too get invaded by flying grain steelers, I no longer leave feed out, over a year and they still come ever day to see what is here to take. Cardinals are the worst here,,, BTW I went down 50 lbs of grain a month!

 

[Howard E]

Starlings are often described as flying rats.........and this will defeat them.....along with sparrows, pigeons, tree rats, real rats and mice too........

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/

It is the only feeder my birds have used since it was installed.

 

[Folly's place]

When I looked into using this here, I was told, and believe, that bantams will also be unable to access feed in it.
Mary

 

[Howard E]

Go to the very last post in the review where the builder responds. He mentions the use of a bantam step option, a modification of the primary design. Less "rat" proof, but will still work for starlings and other small birds.

BTW, I don't use the spring. Only the counterweight.....but I'm not fighting with rats or squirrels.

 

[PouleNoire]

That looks like a nice feeder! I read the other post, I will keep it in mind I do have bantams but I might use this as well as another feeder for them, it won't be as high-tech but it will work for them.

 

[drumstick diva]

When we first moved in 48.5 years ago, there was a farm across the utility easement from us. When starlings were startled they would rise in a dark cloud of bodies,and fly one direction, then reverse. Then they would settle back down. We had never seen so many birds grouped together like that. It truly looked like "The Birds," movie.

The farmer eventually sold out to a development that would put in hundreds of houses.
That ended the starling problems almost instantly. But digging foundations for houses and roads, drove tons of garter snakes out into the adjacent neighborhoods like ours.

The snakes were everywhere and believe me anything that can make people scream can't be healthy. They were hanging off tree branches, and turning up everywhere, it was horrible!. Fortunately our village is very heavy with Forest preserves, and I imagine the snakes eventually found their way there.

Then they were putting in sewers and city water lines and the rats were all over. After all that I realized progress wasn't harmless.