Snapping Turtle and Crows as Predators??

[melissap]

Has anyone else had a problem with snapping turtles in their pond ?
We lost a duck to a snapper and can't seem to get rid of it. Also we seem to have crows landing in our pastures and eating our duck eggs. Anyone have any ideas??

 

[Amiga]

I have read many reports of snappers hurting or killing ducks, as well as reports of crows eating eggs.

If you cannot get rid of the snapper, the pond must be off limits to the ducks.

Keeping the ducks closer until they have laid their eggs (most lay in the morning) may reduce lost eggs.

Sounds like a bunch of lovely ducks you have. How old are they?

 

[Baylor]

I have crows stealing duck eggs too. I now try to keep their pen closed during the day and that is helping. I do have one female that refuses to lay in the cage and has to have a nest in the bushes and most I can get up to is 3 eggs then the crows find the nest!

 

[melissap]

With all of our other animals I can't keep the barn closed... Not sure what to do about darn crows. And we only saw the snapper once and we scared it off and assumed our pond that we just dug was in her path. I am guessing that she might be back because we are missing a 6 week old khaki, our first loss to a predator...
Amiga, the ducks range from day old to 1 year, all layers except 3 breeding drakes.

 

[Amiga]

So sorry you lost someone.

Must be fun to keep up with such a range! Right now, all eleven of ours are 2.5 years old.

Wondering if you might set up some kind of interim area for the ducks to noodle around in until everyone has laid, then let them go elsewhere. Just trying to think of ways to keep the eggs in a known territory that can be picked up before the crows arrive.

In our case, crows are our allies. They eat what the cats kill (rodents), and warn us of approaching trouble. I don't doubt they would take advantage of a food opportunity (eggs) if it presented itself, but so far, the relationship is amicable.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Crows were stealing eggs and killing chicks and ducks. My son started sighting in his .22 every time the crows came around. The loud noise scared them off.

I think maybe someone else had been shooting at them, because they knew a gun by sight. I didn't want to kill them, so fortunately threatening them worked.

 

[Missy60]

OMG just one more predator! I didn't know a crow could kill ducks and chickens.

 

[duckmamma]

I think the only effective solution to the crow problem would be to get and train a guard dog to chase them off.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Snapping turtles are easy to catch. You probably have more than one. A outdoors guy that likes to hunt and fish would jump at the opportunity to catch your snapping turtles.

 

[desertdarlene]

If you have a pond with snappers and you keep ducks on or near that pond, you have to remove the turtles. I hear snappers taste good.