How to keep birds out?

[boonesyard]

It's a slow process, but we're progressing little by little on the mill shed. What I didn't think about with the open sided design, was how fast the birds, squirrels and chipmunks would call it home. We lost our outside cat last fall, so we'll have to replace him to help with the ground critters, but the birds are another story. Being up here in the cold country, I've never had an open sided building and have not had an issue with birds (other than nesting in machinery). I've heard and read about all kinds of deterrents: netting, balls with eyes, electronic devices and owl look-a-likes. What I'm wondering is what, if anything, has worked for all of you. There are a lot of open sawmill sheds out there, and was curious what works and what doesn't? 

[alan gage]

No answers from me. I look forward to them resuming their nests under my sheds each year.

Sometimes they pick a bad location but I can usually place something between the nest and whatever I want to keep clean.

Pretty nice looking sticks you've got ready to saw!

Alan

[moodnacreek]

Lotsa luck with the birds. I have to check the conveyers for nests this time of year and take them down right away before they get too far along. I have put up rusty expanded metal under overhangs for them. The barn swallows will be here in about a month. They will nest right where I work, they are very nervy and persistence so I nail up cardboard to catch their droppings.

[Mike W]

Yup, almost impossible, we seem to build these great shelters for our critter friends, just wish they would cooperate a bit more on the when and where of it all.  
 
The best we have come up with is those short wire spikes, think they are 3 or so inches long, clipped onto the top of the 2x6 bottom cords, you have to put them everywhere though, so we just focused on the areas most critical to not get rained upon and let the rest be, with a bit of seasonally added protection like mentioned already works for the short time they use the space.

[KenMac]

My mill is in an open sided 40x60x14 pole barn. In 2 years the only bird nest I have seen has been in the fan shroud of the mill engine 2 years running and this year after removing the nest from there a nest was started behind the engine EMC. I found it today and removed it. Maybe the bird will find somewhere to nest that will suit it and  me this time. :-\

[highleadtimber16]

I had robins making nests in my mill shed on top of the beam between the rafters. It was fine until they started dropping turds all over my lumber. I put up a porcelain bird that I had laying around, right beside their nests. They never came back. 

[kelLOGg]

Every spring if I go a day or two without sawing I have to take the drive wheel cover off of my mp32 after sawing or birds will build a nest in it fast. 

[boonesyard]

We're in it pretty regular, but we built it for air drying lumber pacs as well and I just don't want the mess all over everything, if I can help it. I think I'm going to install netting under the bottom truss cord throughout. About $100 to do the whole building with 3/4 x 3/4. Don't think that's too bad for a permanent solution.

[KenMac]

We're in it pretty regular, but we built it for air drying lumber pacs as well and I just don't want the mess all over everything, if I can help it. I think I'm going to install netting under the bottom truss cord throughout. About $100 to do the whole building with 3/4 x 3/4. Don't think that's too bad for a permanent solution.

Hope it works for you!

[thecfarm]

Looks like you are all set now. But wonder if that shiny flagging would work? I have it at work, changes colors and kinda flashes as it moves by the wind.

[SwingOak]

Biggest problem I have is starlings tearing up the insulation to nest under the ridge cap. Finally fixed that by stapling hardware cloth over the underside. If you use netting, make sure they can see it by putting tape or something in it. 

When I asked the former owner what he did to keep birds out of the barn he said "I shot 'em", and I had more than a few people suggest I hire an Amish kid with a pellet gun. But even though I hate the mess, I like the barn swallows. They do a good job on the mosquitos. The starlings though - they are so destructive, and as an invasive species they are considered vermin here.

I would suggest putting wire up to keep the birds from nesting. If roosting is an issue, you could get some Nixalite spikes. 

[moodnacreek]

It is hard not to like the barn swallows . For years I did not have any, then an aborted nest, next year a successful nest and then 2 nests and now a growing colony. It is getting messy.

[boonesyard]

We have split tail swallows everywhere, they eat a lot of bugs. We like have them around, but I'd like to keep them to the eaves and around the old barn. I just ordered some of that shiny, tinsel looking stuff to try first in the mill shed. The Robins like to nest in all the crooks and craneys of the equipment. We're pretty careful of checking the stuff out before we take off with it, been a couple hrs away with trailers and the such only to find out we had a nest of hitchhikers. Not much you can do about it other than be aware. 

[farmfromkansas]

Funny how the robins are a pest there in the north, guess all we see of them is the migration.  They eat worms in the yard, cause no problems here.

[KenMac]

Robins show up around here in late January. Tells me that spring is on its' way finally!!

[D6c]

I like barn swallows but not in my open sided shed with the mill.  I've pretty much beat them the last couple of years.  I go out about every 3 days and knock down all the new nests with a 10' piece of electrical conduit.
After a while they give up and go to one of the other buildings.

 Much bigger problem the last couple of years is the carpenter bees drilling holes in all the pole building lumber.  I've got traps up and sprayed quite a bit last year.