Crows are stealing my prize eggs!

[lcharette]

The brazen crows in my area are coming in and stealing my eggs. They walk right past the hens and into the coop. I leave my coop open because the hens lay all times of the day. The hens pretty much ignore the crows. But I am losing half my eggs. The only ones I can collect are those that lay early, before I open the coop for the day. Any advice? They don't scare easily, even when my dogs bark at them from an enclosed pen near by.

 

[Kittymomma]

That is a tough one. I like the crows because they chase the hawks and eagles, but they are bold and smart so can cause problems too. Can you get a roll away nest box like folks use for egg eating hens? The egg rolls back into a collection area that the birds can't reach and should be safe from the crows too.

ETA:

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Easy sollution! Either cut a hanging crow out of thin plywood & paint it black. Or, take a black bandana & tie it to look like a hanging crow. Hang this in the area of the coop door. A crow won't go anywhere they think is dangerous enough to die. I had the same egg-sucking crow problem, & still have my wooden crow hanging at the barn. They haven't stole an egg in 2 years.