The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: paulsou on December 29, 2009, 09:39:00 am

Title: stolen!!!!!!
Post by: paulsou on December 29, 2009, 09:39:00 am
My chickens keep getting robbed of their food by a load of STARLINGs, how can i stop other birds eating all the chicken food?,  i am going through more than double the amount normally given to the chickens!!
Title: Re: stolen!!!!!!
Post by: marigold on December 29, 2009, 12:19:13 pm
Are your chooks free range or penned in? We are going to put netting over our pens in the spring to stop the rooks coming for chicks. Maybe a netted area would do it? My neighbour scares scavenging birds off by shooting at them with a catapault. I am slightly suspicious that he gets far too much enjoyment out of it though.
Title: Re: stolen!!!!!!
Post by: doganjo on December 29, 2009, 12:21:33 pm
My neighbour scares scavenging birds off by shooting at them with a catapault. I am slightly suspicious that he gets far too much enjoyment out of it though.
I would too!  ;D ;D ;D ;D  I have a magpie problem.  Rio catches the young ones in the Spring though! Good  :cat:
Title: Re: stolen!!!!!!
Post by: northfifeduckling on December 29, 2009, 01:11:53 pm
I've given up...every time I go out one of the blackbirds is entangled in the netting of the hen's pen, such silly things... :&>
Title: Re: stolen!!!!!!
Post by: scattybiker1972 on December 29, 2009, 04:53:52 pm
 
there are feeders that are step operated by the chickens to deter pests.cant remember where from.poultry mags i think.try googling
 they might seem pricy but foods expensive enough without losingn it all!
Title: Re: stolen!!!!!!
Post by: Rosemary on December 29, 2009, 05:22:41 pm
You could try putting up a model owl (lifesize). A couple of our farmers do it to deter birds.

One of our kittens caught and killed a magpie yesterday. Good lad.