Australia - Six states..and that funny little island.

[User395221]

Does anybody know whether those big black crows (internet tells me they are actually called the Australian Raven, anyway we call them crows) are a threat to young chickens? I've got one/some who come into the yard and they are up in a tree next door (there's a nest in there, not sure if it's theirs or somebody else's).

My new chooks are about 9 wks and 12 weeks, so they are "proper chooks" not chicks, but they are little. The run attached to the house they are in is covered, but the big run/yard I want to let them out in has no roof, it's just a fenced area of the backyard. Wikipedia says those crows eat grasshoppers and things but can eat baby galahs...my chooks are bigger than a full-grown galah (my galah, anyway, I think the eastern states galahs are bigger than the WA ones). Do you think they'd be ok outdoors. Has anyone observed those crows being murderous? (they shouldn't have to, there is plenty of other food around for them to scavenge)

 

[sjturner79]

Does anybody know whether those big black crows (internet tells me they are actually called the Australian Raven, anyway we call them crows) are a threat to young chickens?  I've got one/some who come into the yard and they are up in a tree next door (there's a nest in there, not sure if it's theirs or somebody else's).

My new chooks are about 9 wks and 12 weeks, so they are "proper chooks" not chicks, but they are little.  The run attached to the house they are in is covered, but the big run/yard I want to let them out in has no roof, it's just a fenced area of the backyard.  Wikipedia says those crows eat grasshoppers and things but can eat baby galahs...my chooks are bigger than a full-grown galah (my galah, anyway, I think the eastern states galahs are bigger than the WA ones).  Do you think they'd be ok outdoors.  Has anyone observed those crows being murderous?  (they shouldn't have to, there is plenty of other food around for them to scavenge) 

They eat eggs and young chicks. I think by 9 weeks the chooks should be ok to defend themselves

 

[sjturner79]

Yeah it is odd seeing as though that breed was originally created by a breeder at the gatton uni which is only 35km from here so you think they would be more heat tolerant. They were the ones i lost in the heat, I have about 7 left that are 7 years old now and still lay and go broody all the time. They have seemed to do ok this last week with the over 40 temps. One more day to go and then they say Saturday is going to be 22c... Might need to bring out the jumper

We had that weather too. I know the astralorps are an Aussie breed, but our silkies and isabrown crosses, even our RIR seem to tolerate the heat better.

 

[User395221]

They eat eggs and young chicks. I think by 9 weeks the chooks should be ok to defend themselves

Thanks. I'm gonna let my girls out to look around....

 

[satay]

Does anybody know whether those big black crows (internet tells me they are actually called the Australian Raven, anyway we call them crows) are a threat to young chickens?  I've got one/some who come into the yard and they are up in a tree next door (there's a nest in there, not sure if it's theirs or somebody else's).

My new chooks are about 9 wks and 12 weeks, so they are "proper chooks" not chicks, but they are little.  The run attached to the house they are in is covered, but the big run/yard I want to let them out in has no roof, it's just a fenced area of the backyard.  Wikipedia says those crows eat grasshoppers and things but can eat baby galahs...my chooks are bigger than a full-grown galah (my galah, anyway, I think the eastern states galahs are bigger than the WA ones).  Do you think they'd be ok outdoors.  Has anyone observed those crows being murderous?  (they shouldn't have to, there is plenty of other food around for them to scavenge) 

Never had them go near chickens but i have lost many eggs to them. They will even take off with turkey eggs.

 

[chicken-clucky]

Hi guys I'm a new member from vic Aus. Was 44c here two days ago, now I'm shivering in a jumper. I have two ducks, one buff silky and one young isa brown/raptor that somehow seems to be top bird.
I've never had ducks before and they sleep in the middle of the lawn regardless of the weather, is that normal?

Hey I am here in Victoria with ya, I am wanting ducks

I am just out of Ballarat yourself???

 

[Babesfarm]

Hey I am here in Victoria with ya, I am wanting ducks

I am just out of Ballarat yourself???

Braybrook, next to footscray. But we travel to Ballarat fairly often.

 

[Anniebee]

To Babesfarm ---- welcome to a really great thread on BYC. Good to see you here.

...........

To those here with queries about crows and possible danger to chickens ----

Agree with satay .... crows will not try anything with a mostly fully grown chicken. They do steal eggs ( and food ) though. Little fluffy new-on-the-go, chicks - I wouldn't trust crows around them - for sure.

............

Ask Teila - for a clone of her chief chicken called Dusty.

Dusty recently beat the living be-whats-its out of one of the crows that had been bothering Teila ( and her chickens ) for months. Last I heard the crows then departed for parts unknown. Don't know if they have returned. The crow certainly came off second best, from Dustys' heavy beaked ministrations.

Hens can be pretty aggressive when they are protective ( of whatever, including food ) ..... and Dusty sounds like she could take on Mike Tyson in a few rounds - and win. !!!

..........

My 3 girls are overly generous --- the rat population that was here, is down to zero ( at the moment ) - but they never fought with them, and were never bitten by rats. They all slept together, I discovered later, from seeing the droppings ?? My girls hold scratch mix parties every now and again, and everyone is welcome. !!

( I DO keep a close watch on that though ).

So we have lace necked doves, mynahs, cockatoos ( in flocks ), rosellas, black birds ( and a new species I have to look up on Google - a miniature butcher bird ???? is there such a thing ? ) - ALL welcome to join in their scratch mix parties. Mindy Araucana has a short fuse for mynahs though .... she chases only them out when she thinks they've overstayed their welcome. The remainder of the visitors just keep happily chomping away. Seriously am not sure how she manages to cull them out - and send them on their way. She's good at it, though.


I must check to see if the girls have a Facebook page that I don't know about - inviting all and sundry to backyard parties !!!

Cheers folks .........

 

[Fancychooklady]

The rats are very cunning. They nest directly under the nest boxes here, but know not to surface until dark. That way the chooks can't run them down and eat them. We have an electronic zapper in the feed shed and almost every other day hubby throws a dead rat in with the girls and by the end of the day it has been completely consumed.

 

[User395221]

crows will not try anything with a mostly fully grown chicken.

Thanks. I left the door of their run open today, but they didn't venture out, mostly because it was too hot, I suspect. I put another dish of water in there and little smartypants stood in it. They are pretty clever, but I don't know whether Grace didn't want to stand in there too, or she wouldn't let her. I hope it's cooler tomorrow so they might do a bit of exploring.