**** Sparrows in my Chicken Coop

[kcflhrc]

Sparrows in the chicken coop, put up 1" chicken wire over the bigger stuff, they still wiggle through. Put up a fake Owl yesterday, the sparrows like the Owl. What now? 12 Gauge??

 

[Streetcar]

Tougher chickens. When I had chickens, Rhode Island reds,I would find bloody piles of sparrow remains in the coop.

 

[kcflhrc]

I have 2 reds, maybe their time is limited.

 

[bigtiller]

You need a mean-old-rooster. We had one when i was a teenager, he stood about 30" tall when he was mad. And everything made him mad.

 

[kcflhrc]

We have all laying hens, had them since chicks. They are about 3 or 4 months old. Maybe I should consider a Rooster. Any issues adding a Rooster to the mix? I'm a chicken noob!

Thanks

 

[bigtiller]

I can't help you with that. It seamed like there was usually a rooster in every box of 100 chicks we bought.

 

[rekees4300]

What now?

If the sparrows roost in the coop, a nighttime attack with flashlight and BB gun would be effective.

 

[rekees4300]

[dup deleted]

 

[2LaneCruzer]

If the sparrows roost in the coop, a nighttime attack with flashlight and BB gun would be effective.

OMG! Did you ever trigger an old memory. When I was about 6 years old (1944), I used to spend a lot of time at my Grand Father's farm. There were two of my older uncles still at home, and they used to take me out to the chicken house...get this...at night, with a flashlight and a BB gun. The sparrow population in the chicken house was pretty much kept under control.

 

[rekees4300]

OMG! Did you ever trigger an old memory. When I was about 6 years old (1944), I used to spend a lot of time at my Grand Father's farm. There were two of my older uncles still at home, and they used to take me out to the chicken house...get this...at night, with a flashlight and a BB gun. The sparrow population in the chicken house was pretty much kept under control.

Those were the days. When I was a teen in the 50s the school's FFA would sponsor a varmint (sparrows, starlings, mice, etc.) killing contest. The grand prize was a .22 rifle which was awarded during a big ceremony in the gym. Times have changed, nowadays a .22 in the gym would activate the National Guard!!!