home made bird trap ???

[needstoknowmore]

I am flat tired of the birds getting in my barn. They get in my coop, eat all my chickens feed and water, poop all over everything. I'm constantly changing animal waters because they poop in it. And have now taken to eating my chicken eggs. I know it wasn't the chicken as they where locked out of the area.
I have tried everything I could think of to keep them out. But it is a barn and has openings for the animals to get in and out. It wouldn't be so bad but I have a neighbor that feeds them to keep them around. I have no problems with most birds. The robbins and sparrows are welcome to stay. We've suceeded in keeping the starlings away from the house. Although they still try to return at times.
I have no idea what kind of birds these are. I've never bothered to look them up. I just know they are a pain in my tail! I would like to trap them so I can send them south for the winter where they should be. I have looked at some live bird traps. But wondered if anybody had any good ideas for building a homemade one?

[Terri]

Have you SEEN the egg eating birds? What do they look like? If the birds are big and black, could it be a raven?

There are other varmints that will eat eggs. Coons, possums, and snakes come to mind.

[Oldcountryboy]

Do these same birds nest in your barn. If so kill them with a BB gun/pellet gun at night with the aid of a flashlite.

[Paul Wheaton]

somebody in these forums a long time ago made a really smart bird trap. A bird house, up high with a long plastic tube running out of it. The tube had bicycle spokes in it that pointed downward.

[Quint]

Look up flight trap or box bird trap on google. You should find some designs there. They're basically a wire box with food in it and an angled it in the top which allows the birds to fly in but not out.

You're in for one heck of a chore by the way. I know, I've done it. Get use to breaking bird necks because you're gonna do a lot of it. Yeah it's icky the first few dozen times but after a few hundred or thousand you do it without noticing.

In the end you have to kill a massive - massive - number of european starlings or house sparrows to make any sort of dent in a local population. Even if you go as far as to use Starlicide (DRC-1339), Starlicide Complete or Avitrol (4-aminopyridine) you've got your work cut out for you.

[needstoknowmore]

Thanks all,
I haven't seen Ravens or Magpies in the barn since I put up netting. too cold for snakes, and no sign of the other varmints. The eggs have tell tale peck holes in them. I had been locking my chicken coop so the birds didn't have easy access to food. My chickens had already taken to laying on top of the hay stack. Which isn't a good place for broken eggs. I've got all the nests knocked down. And will be making it so they can't make new ones. I usually keep up with knocking them down in the spring. But had to many animals in there last spring. So had some manage to hatch out. I don't see them in there after dark. I have thought of the pellet gun, even the shotgun. But the tin roof already has enough holes in it!! I will look up the traps. If I can get rid of the ones that already know of the easy food. I will make the animal opens just big enough for them. right now only goats and chickens. I think that will help keep new ones from moving in. At least I hope so.

[needstoknowmore]

did a little research on traps. found a couple of ideas I will try.
And they are house sparrows!!

[EDDIE BUCK]

Also you might try some plastic snakes laying around close to where they nest or roost.