Found birds in the stove...

[bjorn773]

I cleaned my stove last weekend and found 6 dead birds above the cat. I have had a few in previous years, but have yet to find a solution. I tried to put a screen in my chimney cap, using 1/2" hardware cloth. Halfway through the winter, the screen plugged up and smoke started entering the house. I removed the screen and never had smoke or draft problems again. The chimney and cap are supervent I believe, bought it at menards. I have since switched to a cat stove, so perhaps the screen clogging would not be an issue anymore. I have always seasoned my wood for a minimum of a year, usually two and covered it on top with tarps. Should I put a screen in for the off season and remove it during burning? Any ideas?

 

[spacecowboyIV]

I don't think you need anything with as tight of a weave as you've used in the past or what you are thinking of now. A chimney cap with holes approximately 1" x 1" will suffice to keep everything but insects out and should not clog during the burning season. You may want to search chimney caps online or at your local store for something that will fit in your setup.

 

[wkpoor]

I get birds every yr and look forward to their coming. They do a fantastic job of cleaning my chimney pipe. I let each bird go harmlessly after he has done his job. Every spring I remove the stove pipe and put a clear bag over the bottom. I usually here the birds doing there work. When they reach the bag I simply remove and release. So what some people view as a problem I view as a blessing.