Starling Problem- ideas please!

[pebojuno]

Our chickens are kept in their breeding groups in large chain link pens on grass.

This winter we are having some problems with large numbers of starlings coming in and stealing the food which is becoming VERY expensive- I am also worried about the wild birds introducing disease to my chickens.

I have looked into deterent devices but obviously they would also frighten the chickens too so they are no good- netting would be fine around the perimeter but I have some tall trees in the pens which I would like to keep as the chickens enjoy the shelter and shade they provide.

Any ideas on how to get rid of the starlings and reduce the massive feed bills?

 

[ncotb]

You could try hanging cds up. It shouldnt take long for the chickens to get used to them. Use net where you can, then you could run pieces of string where its more open ie near the trees & attach the cds to them. Childrens windmills work on a breezy day too.

 

[victorias poultry]

Hope you find a resolution to your problem, it is a worry when you start getting alot of wild birds in as they can spread so many different diseases into your flock.
I had alot of crows etc come in so I put up fat balls in a far corner away from the poultry and after a few days spent more time around that area instead of after the hens feed, worth a try?

 

[karlooben]

how big are your pens although my run is only about 33ft by 33 ft roughly i have netted the whole roof and i have a 50ft sycamore teee in the middle i just screwed 2" ply around into a kinda cross shape an then tried the netting to that it works well nothing can get in an nothing can get out .

 

[true-bantam-mad]

Put a netted roof on top, in wilkinsons you can get fish pond neeting (to stop casts going it to the pond), or anothere option is putting the food in the hut.