The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: mentalmilly on January 01, 2013, 05:56:09 pm

Title: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: mentalmilly on January 01, 2013, 05:56:09 pm

Help.  Has anyone any ideas on deterents to keep starlings from eating the pellets in my chuck house.  This only happens in the winter because they dissapear for the summer, but they eat loads of food.  We have one of the metel feeders that they cant get into, but my thick cockerel cant either so l have to leave the plastic one out for him.  Have tried silver discs hung up, a dead starling hanging from the doorway ( this worked for a bit but they got wise ) and have now run out of ideas. Any ideas would be welcome please.

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: deepinthewoods on January 01, 2013, 05:57:49 pm

can you feed the chooks in their housing?

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: happygolucky on January 01, 2013, 06:08:00 pm

I notice my hens are not eating much at all, not even treats like tomatoes.......they look good though

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: jaykay on January 01, 2013, 07:21:16 pm

It's jackdaws with me.

You do just have to keep replacing the corpse with a fresh one  :-\

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: hughesy on January 01, 2013, 07:32:41 pm

We had a big problem with starlings last winter. Put the feeders inside the coops solved the problem here. As for jackdaws! Had a huge flock of them last spring they were a right pain in the arse. Bought a larsen trap, caught a few, killed a few, problem solved. They are very clever and will keep away from anywhere they know to be dangerous.

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: in the hills on January 01, 2013, 07:53:38 pm

Pheasants here  ::) . 20 or 30 at the feeders is quite common in the winter. I let the hens have their fill, take hoppers in and put them back out in time for the hens to have a good feed before dark. Also throw out mixed corn during the day.


Could shoot the phessies but guess it wouldn't make me too popular with the keepers.  ;) ;D

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: mentalmilly on January 01, 2013, 09:47:38 pm

I have put the feeders inside the hut but the starlings go inside for the food. We shot a few last year and hung them but the big white hunters aim is off this year and keeps missing them. Will keep trying though.  Dont have a problem with jackdaws thank goodness, only magpies and they dont eat as much as the starlings.

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: in the hills on January 01, 2013, 09:55:53 pm

Yeah, the phessies go in the coops so the hoppers have to be put in galvanised bins.

Title: Re: starlings eating all the chickens food
Post by: jaykay on January 02, 2013, 08:01:21 am

I gets phessies too, I reckon eating the occasional one is fair payment for me fattening so many for the shoot  ;)