I was wondering if any of you have ideas on how to stop the sparrows from stealing my chicken feed. We have large feeders and the top is blocked off but they still fly in to the run and steal the feed. I think that they are stealing a large amount of feed too because I had three chickens going through a 30lb bag of chicken feed in less than two weeks. I blame the birds unless someone tells me they really eat that much.
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The plans for making a treadle feeder are posted on the microlivestock page underneath all of the feed store listings.
I always suggest making them because of the cost of purchasing them. However if you calculate the cost of the chicken feed you are losing to the wild birds (especially if you're feeding organic) even the $200 ones pay for themselves in a pretty short time.
I"m working on this problem right now too. My coop/run was completely enclosed with chicken wire but the sparrows were going right through it. We replaced the chicken wire with hardware cloth ($$) but because my chickens free range during the day the sparrows just go through the open people-size door. We also hung "scare tape" all around the coop. It worked for awhile, but the birds got use to it. My dogs catch the doves that go into the coop but the sparrows are too fast for them. Today we are making a smaller coop door for the chickens that we can hang something over. Apparently the chickens with push through but the sparrows won't. We'll see...
I really want to get this figured out because we use the very expensive soy/corn free organic feed and I don't want to be feeding it to the sparrows!
If this doesn't work we'll probably make a treadle feeder. Plans are on Backyardchickens.com by "Gallo del Cielo"
Becky we have two doors to our coop - one for people and one about 12"x12" the chickens go through. The people door stays closed, but the chicken door is open all day and we don't have a bird problem. I think it's because the birds want to fly in, but the door is at ground level. You MIGHT only need a nighttime door over your new door.
I'll try that first. My door is at ground level also.
The chickens already used the little door (10x12) without a cover to go in for the evening. There is a hinged plywood covering for the door for nighttime so they'll be secure.
We feed in the coop, and our feeder is inside. The coop's wire is 1" squares, so birds can't get in. You could spread bird netting over the run & it should work, but be sure to put it on tightly so birds & critters can't get caught in it.
That's a lot of food for three chickens. Wild birds can consume an amazing amount, though.
Yup. Sparrows. doves, pigeons and anything else with wings it seems will gorge on chicken food and you'll feed them more than your ladies!
On the odd occasions my cat sneaks outside, she takes up a position right next to the chicken feed. It's the best hunting grounds on my property and I can tell when she is out there! There isn't a sparrow or pigeon to be found. My chickens just saunter past her like my cat wasn't even there...so that might be one way.
You can try screens with mesh small enough to keep the birds out of your pen area. One thing that kind of worked for me for awhile (my chickens are pretty free ranging so this is a big problem for me!) is hanging the feeder off the ground high enough for the pigeons to have some trouble with the feeder but within easy chicken range, I also had to rig a cover for the top of the food dispenser to keep the little birds from landing in there. I also cut up strips of aluminum foil to hang around the area and scare them. I say this kind of worked for me because none of this kept my dogs from then coming in and eating the food...
I love the simplisity of the last one on that link. I'm going to have to see what my husband and I can make because $200 is a bit much. Although I think I'm going to have to see if we can make a couple for the dogs too. The pigeons steal their food too!
I have an older feeder and they used to come with domed tops so the chickens and other birds couldn't get into it. I noticed the new ones don't have tops. They charge the same, though. :)
Replies
The plans for making a treadle feeder are posted on the microlivestock page underneath all of the feed store listings.
I always suggest making them because of the cost of purchasing them. However if you calculate the cost of the chicken feed you are losing to the wild birds (especially if you're feeding organic) even the $200 ones pay for themselves in a pretty short time.
I"m working on this problem right now too. My coop/run was completely enclosed with chicken wire but the sparrows were going right through it. We replaced the chicken wire with hardware cloth ($$) but because my chickens free range during the day the sparrows just go through the open people-size door. We also hung "scare tape" all around the coop. It worked for awhile, but the birds got use to it. My dogs catch the doves that go into the coop but the sparrows are too fast for them. Today we are making a smaller coop door for the chickens that we can hang something over. Apparently the chickens with push through but the sparrows won't. We'll see...
I really want to get this figured out because we use the very expensive soy/corn free organic feed and I don't want to be feeding it to the sparrows!
If this doesn't work we'll probably make a treadle feeder. Plans are on Backyardchickens.com by "Gallo del Cielo"
http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=56638-building-...
Becky we have two doors to our coop - one for people and one about 12"x12" the chickens go through. The people door stays closed, but the chicken door is open all day and we don't have a bird problem. I think it's because the birds want to fly in, but the door is at ground level. You MIGHT only need a nighttime door over your new door.
Thanks,
I'll try that first. My door is at ground level also.
The chickens already used the little door (10x12) without a cover to go in for the evening. There is a hinged plywood covering for the door for nighttime so they'll be secure.
That's a lot of food for three chickens. Wild birds can consume an amazing amount, though.
Yup. Sparrows. doves, pigeons and anything else with wings it seems will gorge on chicken food and you'll feed them more than your ladies!
On the odd occasions my cat sneaks outside, she takes up a position right next to the chicken feed. It's the best hunting grounds on my property and I can tell when she is out there! There isn't a sparrow or pigeon to be found. My chickens just saunter past her like my cat wasn't even there...so that might be one way.
You can try screens with mesh small enough to keep the birds out of your pen area. One thing that kind of worked for me for awhile (my chickens are pretty free ranging so this is a big problem for me!) is hanging the feeder off the ground high enough for the pigeons to have some trouble with the feeder but within easy chicken range, I also had to rig a cover for the top of the food dispenser to keep the little birds from landing in there. I also cut up strips of aluminum foil to hang around the area and scare them. I say this kind of worked for me because none of this kept my dogs from then coming in and eating the food...
I would LOVE for someone local to make this contraption (or I might have to figure one out myself) http://sarasotacluck.blogspot.com/2011/02/cluck-tips-ingenious-trea...
It might just be the answer we're looking for!
it wouldn't help with the dogs (I can train them to stay away from it) but it would keep those darn other birds from it!!
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