Befriending Crows

[theoldchick]

I don't feed crows but they hang around anyway. They do aggravate the resident hawks but the hawks knows when to fly and when not to. Despite the presence of crows the hawks do manage to nest and raise a family. Crows are opportunists and will eat anything that won't eat them first and will fit down their throat. And that includes day old chicks. So keep that in mind.

 

[Bunnylady]

Crows are opportunists and will eat anything that won't eat them first and will fit down their throat. And that includes day old chicks. So keep that in mind.

I still remember a few years ago, hearing an odd screeching sound as a bird flew overhead. After staring at it for a few seconds, I realized it was a large crow, and it had a small animal in its beak. It was probably a young squirrel, and it clearly wasn't dead yet. Circle of life and all that, but it wasn't a pleasant thing to witness.

Over the years, I have lost a few even full-sized hens to hawks; they will even attack birds under cover if they see them run to it. I have lost a few bantam birds to owls, but that was largely because they were sleeping on top of their coop rather than in it.

I have also lost countless eggs to crows. Crows are very clever; they watched all the places the hens were laying and scolded me if I got to the eggs before they did. It got so bad, I began to wonder why I was keeping chickens at all, since on some days, the crows got every egg, and I got none. It was more the foxes and raccoons that made me decide to stop free-ranging, though.

We still have crows around here; I often see several of them wandering around in the pasture, though exactly what they are looking for, I don't know. A couple of weeks ago, my daughter and I saw an incredible number of crows mobbing something (I'd estimate over 100). We have owls, too - I hear them calling in the woods every night (that may have been what they were mobbing, but the owls are still here, so the crows didn't drive them off). The hawks come and go; it's mostly during the fall that we see young hawks out there. It's kind of nice to be able to watch them just doing what they do, and not have to worry that it's my hens they are watching. Kind of nice not having to beat the nest robbers to the eggs, too. We all have to come to some sort of compromise with the wildlife; I've found one that works for me, I hope you find yours, too.

 

[Teila]

Crows! Did someone mention Crows?!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-home-has-become-crow-central-why.906780/

Which reminds me, I need to update the thread because we moved!

 

[Chickassan]

Oh nooo, i don't know how I'd handle ravens the crows are sneaky enough. They've flown off with entire food bowls, stolen countless dummy eggs and any yard decorations I've had with shinies like gems or marbles has been quickly stripped. I'm not sure we even have ravens here, of course i didn't think we had golden eagles either but i was wrong.

Think crows steal things, get some ravens in. They took a dozen eggs one day right off my work table next to my house before I could even get out the door. Was pretty epic to watch though. The noise though during nesting season...gosh it's obnoxious and never-ending. lol

 

[sourland]

Every night when I mix my dog food, I mix and soak extra. After I feed the dogs, the crows know where I will feed them. I have done so for years and have a family (7 now) that nest in my back pines. 2nd year birds will soon disperse, and yearlings will stay and help parents with this years young. They aggressively engage hawks when nesting and feeding young. The rest of the year they simply say 'hawk' a specific sound that means a hawk is present and my birds have come to know what it means. They are a great help.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Every night when I mix my dog food, I mix and soak extra. After I feed the dogs, the crows know where I will feed them. I have done so for years and have a family (7 now) that nest in my back pines. 2nd year birds will soon disperse, and yearlings will stay and help parents with this years young. They aggressively engage hawks when nesting and feeding young. The rest of the year they simply say 'hawk' a specific sound that means a hawk is present and my birds have come to know what it means. They are a great help.

Wow I do not have the option of mixing extra dog food my breeds would always ensure that extra got eaten. I would have fat useless dogs that can't run. I even have to run my dogs off the chicken scratch and cracked corn if it isn't eaten by the birds!

Also sounds like our first year breeding strategy with our green jays, Their first yearlings will assist with next years offspring. However, I expect nothing from them as they are such a wary breed.

 

[AllenK RGV]

One final thought I spent 12 years of my life in Europe and have seen Magpies and Ravens raiding chicks from nests or who fell out of nests during the windstorms you experience there. So you need to have that plan in place of protecting them if you want to use the Covid defence strategy. In Germany I only know them as "Aucaun" they translate to hurricanes but arent. It is just high pressure pushing straightline winds at 100+ mph.

I think the biggest chick I have personally observed being taken was in the 75-80 gram range so just shy of 3-4 ounces.

 

[chickens really]

I don't feed Crows..They do chase off the Hawks though.
The Crows and Magpies keep the Ravens away.
My Friend had a bunch of Rescued Runners and the Ravens were attacking and killed a few..

 

[theoldchick]

I go outside this morning and what do I see?
50 black crows watching me
Though the air is a bone chilling 20 degrees
These 50 black crows are talking loudly to me
The horses are stomping and blowing frost in the air
The roosters are crowing telling me to beware
Taking a pause, I go back for the gun
When I go outside the crows are quiet and glum
Out in the yard was a raccoon, a big fiesty one
I raised the rifle whose dark barrel glinted in the sun
A flash and boom and the raccoon is no more
A moment of silence for the life that is now gone
One by one the crows take flight, quiet as the night
Shiny black feathers glinting in the sunlight
Rifle tucked safely away, I start with my chores
Sad yet satisfied the thief is no more

 

[chickens really]

I go outside this morning and what do I see?
50 black crows watching me
Though the air is a bone chilling 20 degrees
These 50 black crows are talking loudly to me
The horses are stomping and blowing frost in the air
The roosters are crowing telling me to beware
Taking a pause, I go back for the gun
When I go outside the crows are quiet and glum
Out in the yard was a raccoon, a big fiesty one
I raised the rifle whose dark barrel glinted in the sun
A flash and boom and the raccoon is no more
A moment of silence for the life that is now gone
One by one the crows take flight, quiet as the night
Shiny black feathers glinting in the sunlight
Rifle tucked safely away, I start with my chores
Sad yet satisfied the thief is no more