First Run of Cornish Cross Meat Birds and Super Excited!

[JessicaThistle]

I got me two turkey poults today!! They are Naragansetts and we believe they are male and female. From their mannerisms today after bringing them home, that's what I would totally believe and I know nothing about turkeys.

We had a resident crow in the duck area that liked to come down and take a bath. It was no big deal until that crow brought a friend or two. For awhile they just took baths and got drinks but then, I would find duck egg shells in the yard and the neighbors did too. Eventually, I saw the crows going in and out of the duck house and they were stealing eggs, plus their was more crows arriving! Now, we have to go out with bb guns and shoot to make noise that scares them off. My husband had to go shoot the shotgun when the number of crows was reaching at least twenty to get them to leave. Scarecrows don't work and I'm not always home watching to go make noise to scare them off.

So, I researched what I needed to have in my yard to get rid of the crows. I kept finding over and over again that turkeys do not put up with crows or other predator and nuisance birds. So I found myself some turkeys to raise up. Even better, we may be able to hatch some eggs and sell some poults or have ourselves some turkey dinner! I am hoping this is a win-win!

 

[JRNash]

Jessica,crows are some of the most intelligent birds on the planet. They take care of their own using a family system much like our own with parents and grandparents teaching the young.
Chances are good if you are able to kill a few in the act they will associate the danger to who ever perpetrated the act and where it happened. Its been shown in studies that they can communicate the threat to birds who never even seen the threat passing it on to the others and their children. Trying to go at crows passively won't work. You have to make a violent impression anywhere they are congregating on your farm.

 

[JRNash]

They will get the message.

 

[JRNash]

Ive placed corn on the ground,covered it with cardboard. The crows waited till i moved away,walked up to the cardboard,looked at it. Picked up a corner then drug it away to get at the corn. It was at least a 2 x 2 ft sq piece. They are SMART

 

[JRNash]

just to jack with them i placed more cardboard out in random spots. If they saw me put it down with no corn they left it alone,if they didn't know they checked EVERY TIME

 

[duluthralphie]

I like my Crows and Ravens. They do not take my eggs, and they keep the hawks and eagles away from here.

I have not noticed my turkeys keeping the crows away. I have had crows on the ground 25-30 ft from my turkeys. Good luck on the turkey watch dogs Jessica. Turkeys are so cool, you should have some anyways.

 

[lpatelski]

Ive placed corn on the ground,covered it with cardboard. The crows waited till i moved away,walked up to the cardboard,looked at it. Picked up a corner then drug it away to get at the corn. It was at least a 2 x 2 ft sq piece. They are SMART

Okay JR, sounds like you are interested in crow behaviors. Now your crows should be taught to bring you money for the corn.
Watch this talk about the intelligence of crows and how this guy taught some crows to find coins and put them into the box for treats.

http://www.josh.is/crow-machine/

http://www.thecrowbox.com/

 

[duluthralphie]

Toad pictures,

I threw the one gallon bleach container in to show size..

 

[JessicaThistle]

I have appreciated the crows, like Ralph said, they do keep the predator birds away, but they do steal my eggs. Maybe you haven't seen them do it to you Ralph? The chickens may have cleaned up the evidence. I know mine do. If I hadn't caught the crow yolk-beaked I wouldn't have known either.

I also didn't mind one or two of them but 20 toodling in and out of my duck house perusing the nests and bullying my ducks is unacceptable.

Since my husband shot the shotgun one night, they have not entered the yard. They are casing us though. They will be perched in all of the trees that surround us, talking about it. I go out with the bb gun and shoot a whole bunch and they take off. I was hoping that by doing this we were creating a hostile environment for them. We have to be careful with shooting though because our neighbors are close on both sides. We just have a long skinny acre.

I don't want the crows to leave the area because they are on hawks and eagles like flies on poops. I just don't want them taking over my yard.

 

[Dave C]

Dave your birds rock also

Why thank you Sir.

Managed to finally get some Cornish eggs laid in the pen, not really sure why they stopped.
Anyway set my last batch away on Wednesday, so fingers crossed.

Anyone else still hatching ?