It’s cold, very cold outside, here in Western New York.
We have plenty of snow, which makes it difficult—and sometimes downright dangerous—to visit friends, hang out at the local diner/coffee shop, and keep up with the community gossip…er, news.
Television “marathon” programs are re-runs.
I’m thinking it’s time to shake things up a little with a controversial topic!
From my research, which consists entirely of reading Facebook posts and asking two other people, I’m realizing that there are two distinct camps when it comes to free range chickens and backyard bird feeders.
So…
Are you in Camp #1: feeding backyard birds and encouraging (or at least not discouraging) your flock of chickens to clean up the spills and excess from under the feeder? 
Or,
Are you in Camp #2: Actively discouraging your flock—setting up barriers, even taking down wild bird feeders?
Since it seems that you will already have a definite opinion on this subject, it’s probably not necessary for me to make the following suggestions, but if for some reason you are still “on the fence”, here are a couple things to think about:
Is the birdseed sold for wild birds harmful for my chickens?
What about Salmonella from wild bird droppings?
You might also read this 2013 article from Community Chickens blogger Wendy Thomas: “Why I Think Chickens and Wild Bird Feeders Don’t Mix”, or follow along this thread, “ What about free ranging under bird feeders?” from www.backyardchickens.com.
These questions and articles may give you a little more “fodder” for your argument—or your decision-making. I think though, even if you don’t feed wild birds, maybe never have, maybe don’t even have a flock of chickens…you will have an opinion.
Just to be clear and so you will know I am not (particularly) biased…my flock of 17 hens is, well, “chicken”. They like to have the coop door open on sunny days, but not one of them will step out into that white stuff. They stand in the doorway and look out, but that’s it. No free-ranging anywhere near a winter wild bird feeder for my girls! And, yes, I do feed wild birds; I have three feeders, and I feed birds year round. Those feeders are inside the huge fenced dog yard, and my chickens, even if they were to wander out that far, have no access to that yard.
I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts and mediating a lively discussion!
10 Comments
Gasp! I started off trying to keep hens away from feeders….tried everything. I now have to feed the wild birds every day, as graft/bribe, or they will eat all the hen feed in a short period of time. We have plugged every hole we can find in the run and coop, but the wild birds are very smart and can find ways into the coop, where the feed is. The only times they don’t eat all the hen feed, is when I give them birdseed in a feeder. And I want to let my hens free range periodically throughout the week. They don’t get to do it for very long because we do have hawks in this suburban area, but they do love the adjacent garden…..so far so good….although I know it is not ideal. Try to give them B vitamins in their water, they have a Sweeter Heater and a heated water dispenser for freezing temps, so hoping they don’t get stressed out and get sick…..
I don’t feed wild birds, but, now that I have the chickens outside in the winter, instead of wintering in the barn in a horse stall, I have wild birds thieving food. They are also drinking out of my chicken’s water bc I use a dog’s heated water bowl outside of the coop, and this is only liquid water within miles.
I’m not too keen on having many wild birds around. It seems like the starlings prefer to sneak inside the coop at night, instead of some of the other wild birds. They poo everywhere, much more casually than my hens, who can be counted on to poo under their roost and in the middle of their small coop, and this cold turns them into big, hard balls, or hard misshapen masses, easy to remove.
When it’s sunny I feed outside, but when it’s wet I feed my hens inside. The wild birds are mostly too shy to steal food in the coop, only from the outside bowls.
I clean every few days, but I’ll be disinfecting in the Spring, especially where the wild birds have messed.
I feed my girls scratch and kitchen leftovers in the morning. They free range on about a half acre. We also have a healthy population of Scrub and Stellar’s jays, crows/ravens and assorted smaller birds (I like to call them the “beepers”) who like to forage on the leftover crumbs from the chickens. So, we have the process in reverse. I don’t feed the wildlife, they just help themselves. It doesn’t seem to hurt either of them.
Avian flu is widespread, not just in British Columbia. It is in Washington and Oregon as well. Water fowl are not as susceptible as chickens and turkies. It is spread by wild birds. Continue to feed wild birds by all means BUT not near your flock. Wild birds’ flight can not be controlled your chickens ranging can. The avian flu will kill chickens, yes, but some do survive and are not carriers. The decision is up to each flock owner, how much risk they are willing to take with their livestock.
Raising chickens is a lot like raising children. Remember when we opened the door and ran outside and played without a care in the world? Now predators, diseases and the unknown are lurking everywhere. Knowledge is good though – it’s better to be cautious, informed and educated.
Probably the best way to feed native backyard birds is to landscape your property with their native food sources – seeds, nuts, berries – and avoid insecticides and pesticides. And it’s probably best to keep your nonnative backyard chickens safe is contained in a coop with access to a large outside run area. If you free range your flock then you’re exposing your chickens to a host of problems – predators, diseases and such. It’s a risk that you might not want (or should) take.
Anyway – I feed the birds and free range my hens…
Up until recently, we fed wild birds and our hens were crazy for the spillover.
(I think their ‘fertilizer’ is what finally got that plum tree to fruit.)
But with the AF scare, that feeder’s come down for now.
I’m not too worried about our friends since we’re having a ridiculously mild winter here in the PNW and no doubt they’re able to care for themselves.
I’d think 2ce about it were the weather different.
Wild birds and waterfowl are spreading the Avian Flu to backyard flocks. Entire flocks are being culled as a result since there’s no cure. I don’t know that this is something to even really debate any longer, its not a good idea to let your chickens mingle with wild birds. Period. The CDC has set up a separate website talking about the ways to try and prevent the spread of avian flu and limited exposure to wild birds is one of the main suggestions.
Lisa
Fresh Eggs Daily
Feed both birds and chickens sunflower seeds. My chicks clean up under the bird feeders and the birds clean up in the chicken yard. I never thought there may be a problem. I have about 30 girls and never had a problem. Hopefully I will continue to have good luck.
Mine are allowed to “graze” under the feeders since we have no fencing in the immediate yard here in rural Montana. I have had second thoughts with Avian Flu up in British Columbia, but no changes yet. Since they are allowed to graze in a wide area here they are encountering bird poop etc. where ever there are berry bushes and wild grasses.
I wasn’t aware that it was such a controversy. I’m fairly new to chickens (<5 yrs). I have been feeding wild birds year round, and my girls used to free range under neath. But I got tired of all the chicken poop on my back stairs, so I built them a large fenced in area attached to their secure pen and coop. I still feed the birds, but the girls don't get to scavenge under it. But their are wild birds all around, and even in their fenced area, and the rest of the yard and neighborhood, even. And they were all here way before I ever put up my feeder, which I love!