Wild Birds

[Sconiemamabear]

I’ve read a few different blog posts about not having bird feeders for wild birds if you plan to keep chickens due to the avian flu possibility. I’m wondering peoples opinions on this. Could I possibly keep a feeder away from where the coop and run is? We cut down to only one feeder, partially due to that advice and partially due to they were eating me out of house and home and it was one of the sells of finally being able to get my girls. Hubby said at least if we are spending money on feed, we get something out of it in the end My child, cat and I really enjoy our song birds, so I was hoping to at least make one feeder work but wanted to hear the different opinions and experiences on this. We already have a yard full of robins due to our extreme number of earthworms. So we will never be completely birdless. Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Sconiemamabear]

I should also add. I don’t think our girls will be able to free range much if at all. We have a pair of eagles that nest at our property. And this spring we have seen another pair hanging around.

 

[kerbotx]

Wild birds also bring lice. You'd lessen your risk by increasing the space between the wild birds & your chickens, but you'd still be inviting way more risk than without a feeder - the feeder causes them to spend more time on your property, congregating in larger numbers, while they eat to get their fill. With regards to avian flu, if you find yourself in a kill zone, that feeder may count against you as a biosecurity hazard.

 

[Sconiemamabear]

Wild birds also bring lice. You'd lessen your risk by increasing the space between the wild birds & your chickens, but you'd still be inviting way more risk than without a feeder - the feeder causes them to spend more time on your property, congregating in larger numbers, while they eat to get their fill. With regards to avian flu, if you find yourself in a kill zone, that feeder may count against you as a biosecurity hazard.

I’m wondering if the Turkey barns adjacent to us will also count against us.

 

[Mrs. K]

No, I don't think they will count against you, but I think you might count against the turkey barn. I am pretty sure, with the money at stake, they are taking bio security very seriously. I just read an article in Iowa, where they had to depopulate 900,000 birds, and that is a huge loss.

It is fun to watch birds, but I will expect that you will still see some, and you will be able to watch your chickens. I think if you are in an area with the flu, I would pull the feeders. Enjoy what comes naturally, and wait and see how the Avian flu pans out.

We are commercial cattle people, and we recently had a disease go through that required depopulation, it was a very hard summer for our whole family. People on here sometimes seem to think that commercial agriculture is all about the money, but rather it is the money that lets us do what we love. A disease is a very serious problem. Do be part of the solution.

Mrs K

 

[Sueby]

No offense to anyone who feeds the birds, but oh my gosh it's such a pain for me! It brings the bears around here. & the mice who move into & destroy my vehicles & my house & my shop. & the song birds who in turn bring the lice & the flu & eat the chickens feed. & the wild turkeys who should be out eating the things that eat my garden instead of the feed my neighbors put down. & the chipmunks who do the same as the mice........and so on.

I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful, I know it's fun to watch the birds at the feeder but the problems they cause just multiply the farther on down the line you go. We are in a losing battle here because my neighbors insist on feeding the wild birds & turkeys. My birds are on lockdown because of HPAI & I've explained it to them, yet they still feed the birds. Their solution to the bears knocking the feeders over is to throw it on the ground instead.

Sorry for the rant. It's all just very frustrating to me. LOL