They eat and eat and eat… until there’s nothing left. On average I figure I’m losing at minimum, 3 lbs a day to the wild birds. It would be more if I didn’t cover the feeder a few times a day. Covering and uncovering chicken feeders can’t be the only solution, but so far that’s all I’ve come up with. What I need is a flight pen, something capable of keeping even the tiniest of teeny sparrows OUT. Well, I googled chicken flight pen and found this… now I just need to win the lottery. $$$$
20 ft Geodesic Dome Outdoor Aviary Flight Cage by SunriseDomes
Tried the Treadle Feeder… a total FAIL. The chickens just stood on the platform and scratched out all the feed. By the end of the day I had grain everywhere and a billion well fed doves and sparrows.
Any suggestions on how to keep the wild birds from eating the chicken feed?
I think we have the healthiest squirrels around 🙂
ha ha! I have Doves so fat they can barely fly!
That dome thing is brilliant! Like a chicken green house! Sadly, I have no suggestions on keeping out the wild birds. I just feed everybody, even though I know it is really not cost effective!
Yeah, me too. I just tell myself some people actually buy feed for the wild birds!
The dome looks amazing if not a bit expensive. What we do is keep the pellet feeder in the chicken house so the wild birds don’t get to it. but they do get to the food that we throw the chickens on the ground mid afternoon. I think it is a losing battle.
That’s one thing we all seem to agree on… it’s a losing battle. 😦
There are also some good ideas here:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/703092/planning-a-flight-pen-need-ideas
Yep, netting was what I thought of too. Done it before and it did at least keep out the doves. Unfortunately they get caught in it and I was constantly having to cut holes in it trying to get them out. Last year I had a giant lizard caught in it, and a 5 ft snake. OMG, it was awful! Thanks for you BYC thread! 🙂
Haha, we got lizards stuck in our fence all the time at my parents’ house, so I understand your problems there.
This might be a more affordable option?