# Keeping birds out of sheds



## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

My equipment shed is 3 sided with the open side facing the east. The birds never used to be a problem but the last few years everything is getting crapped on in there mercilessly. Broke my ExMark zero turn out today, it was covered with a tarp and was covered with crap everywhere, inside and out.

I hung an owl decoy up in shed last year hoping it would help to no avail.

What are some good solutions to keeping birds out?


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

I have struggled with this issue for years. i have tapped my baler and conditioner and haven’t had issues with birds under the tarps. Bird poop is terrible on equipment paint so I have tried everything to no avail. My two tractors live in my closed up shop. If one of them goes tdy to the shed for one or two nights I have to break out the pressure washer


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I hung aluminum disposable pie pans from the tops of my doors--about one every 2 feet and about 2 feet from the top of the doors.

The aluminum pie pans get whipped around in the wind and last about 6 months but have proven pretty effective.

I think I will switch to a more solid pie pan.

Hope this helps

Ralph


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Birds are a plague here. Mainly sparrows. Make sure you knock down any nests they build. Once they nest, they are 10X difficult to get rid of. And get a good 10 pump .177 pellet gun with a scope on it. Use only top of the line pellets, they are more accurate than anything else and won’t hole sheet steel.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

Gearclash said:


> Once they nest, they are 10X difficult to get rid of.


Probably my problem here. I saw nests and they had chicks in them so didn't want to knock them down at that point.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

You're gonna be in for a rough ride unfortunately.

If you don't have the heart to address it, we found leaving ladders, hay or equipment the cats can climb will let them do the dirty work and discourages future nesting.

Only slightly better than having a bird problem but the raccoons clean up nests pretty well too.



Hayjosh said:


> Probably my problem here. I saw nests and they had chicks in them so didn't want to knock them down at that point.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

Hayjosh said:


> Probably my problem here. I saw nests and they had chicks in them so didn't want to knock them down at that point.


I am at least as tender hearted as the next person but I have gotten so fed up with the mess birds in a shed make that I don’t care if they have hatchlings in the nest or not, the nest is coming down. Once sparrows get to nesting in a building, they are devilishly persistent.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

Yes, the birds are going to start dying. My rule is I give everything the chance to coexist on my farm until it starts causing me problems. Woodchucks, mice, moles, chipmunks, and a-hole roosters get assassinated immediately.

I enjoy being able to look out the window and see a little bunny hopping along, or wild turkeys, ducks, deer, or the squirrels playing. I've even had a momma skunk make a nest in the barn wall, and some baby racoons playing in the driveway at night. They all move along and bring no destruction or disease so I let them on their way.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Hayjosh said:


> Yes, the birds are going to start dying. My rule is I give everything the chance to coexist on my farm until it starts causing me problems. Woodchucks, mice, moles, chipmunks, and a-hole roosters get assassinated immediately.
> 
> 
> Ditto on above. My wife had multiple ahole gobblers and 2 roosters. Once they started running up behind me they got the hook through the neck from my garden weeder. Pretty effective, 4 3.5" tines and once hooked, just throw them on the cart for the coyotes


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## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

Gearclash said:


> Birds are a plague here. Mainly sparrows. Make sure you knock down any nests they build. Once they nest, they are 10X difficult to get rid of. And get a good 10 pump .177 pellet gun with a scope on it. Use only top of the line pellets, they are more accurate than anything else and won’t hole sheet steel.


We use the birdshot 22lr shells as it will not damage tin ...best time is at night when they are roosting...


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

ttazzman said:


> We use the birdshot 22lr shells as it will not damage tin ...best time is at night when they are roosting...


Just might have to give that a “shot”😎. How much time do you have to aim after shining a flashlight on them?


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## HayMike (Mar 22, 2011)

How about siding doors on the east end, many advantages besides the birds.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

HayMike said:


> How about siding doors on the east end, many advantages besides the birds.


The open side is 54’. It’s 24’ deep. So that’s a lot of doors. I’d love doors though.


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## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

Hayman1 said:


> Just might have to give that a “shot”😎. How much time do you have to aim after shining a flashlight on them?


I just turn on lights usually they won't fly....and if they do usually won't leave the barn if it's dark outside


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

One could get a mock-up of an Owl or Hawk (maybe several) and hang them in the area, that ought to scare the bejesus out of the birds. Don't know for how long though.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I have an owl in there and it does nothing.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Hayjosh said:


> I have an owl in there and it does nothing.


That lazy bastard!!!


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

ttazzman said:


> I just turn on lights usually they won't fly....and if they do usually won't leave the barn if it's dark outside


well, we are going to have to make a bird shot purchase run for my new mark IV


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## HayMike (Mar 22, 2011)

Mine is 48', used bypass doors, 20' high. Hard to put up, but worth it.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

HayMike said:


> Mine is 48', used bypass doors, 20' high. Hard to put up, but worth it.


I'd like to do that but $$$$$$$$$$. Just the door tracks alone are very expensive.


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## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

Hayman1 said:


> well, we are going to have to make a bird shot purchase run for my new mark IV


Birdshot is hard to find....and it will not cycle a semi-auto.....I run mine thru a lever action..or a revolver


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

ttazzman said:


> Birdshot is hard to find....and it will not cycle a semi-auto.....I run mine thru a lever action..or a revolver


Too bad. Have to look to see if I still have my old bolt action somewhere


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## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

Hayman1 said:


> Too bad. Have to look to see if I still have my old bolt action somewhere


You can run them in a semi...usually will not eject so you have to hand cycle the bolt


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