Crows as Gardian Animals???

[HouseCat]

I just had a hawk/young american eagle fly into my mini-coop and kill one of my hamburg chicks. Then 5-6 crows flew in right after it and I watched them chase the raptor for well over a mile off of my property. I've never seen anything like it and am seriously considering putting some food out of them to keep them around.
I went out there and found my SS Hamburg chick basically scalped and my largest Dark Cornish cockeral dead of an apparent heart attack. Has anyone else witnessed this?

 

[msladyhawke]

I just had a hawk/young american eagle fly into my mini-coop and kill one of my hamburg chicks. Then 5-6 crows flew in right after it and I watched them chase the raptor for well over a mile off of my property. I've never seen anything like it and am seriously considering putting some food out of them to keep them around.
I went out there and found my SS Hamburg chick basically scalped and my largest Dark Cornish cockeral dead of an apparent heart attack. Has anyone else witnessed this?

Crows always "mob" hawks in my area. Make noise at them, harrass them, fly right at them.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

It is amazing to see crows chase a raptor. I have even seen red winged black birds chase hawks. The only problem is I have heard that crows can be a threat to chicks as well. It may depend on the size of the chicks.

 

[Stonerowfarm]

It's not fail-safe but I've been encouraging the crows for a couple years now. I toss dirty, cracked eggs out to the side and back yards. I've got the crows/ravens nesting in quite a few nearby trees now and they take out after the hawks constantly. I went out a couple weeks ago about 5:30 in the morning and they had a hawk cornered in a tree on the edge of my yard. Every time it would try to fly away they mobbed him. This went on all morning till he finally flew over the ridge.

That being said, you still have to be careful of little hens. I lost a bantam roo to a hawk last December - it went right in to the tractor and latched on.

 

[dainerra]

also, crows/ravens WILL kill and eat chicks. they can also kill a slightly larger chicken if they gang up.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Crows don't only kill baby chicks. They killed two 3 pound chickens here and just this week they beat up my goose to drive her off her nest and broke all her eggs.

They also steal a lot of chicken feed and take fruit and veggies out of your garden as well a stealing eggs.

 

[harveyhorses]

I know I am in the minority of hating crows. They have destroyed my garden, & bird feeders,& have harassed my cats and hens. They work in mobs, (or a murder) they will get no welcome here.
Be careful what you wish for.
Sorry for your losses. That stinks.

 

[zazouse]

I feed the crows and use their presents to my advantage, they not only keep hawks in check for the most part but when i hear them calling in a mob like fashion in my woods it means their is something in their territory, if they are close i will take the dogs and check it out, last time it was a feral cat, i walked rite past him the first time as i turned to go back there it was hunkered down in a hole, i scared it away before my dogs got a whiff of it.

I would love to find a baby crow and raise it up, they remind me of my cockatoo in the way they hop around and play.

 

[Nambroth]

Maybe the West Coast crows are different, but the crows here have never been anything other than beneficial to me. They've never even showed a passing interest in my gardens or full size poultry. They have driven off many, many raptors, though.
Crows are a best judgement call. If yours are helpful, by all means make them welcome. If they aren't, then don't!

 

[dainerra]

Nambroth, I would bet that it depends on what is available for them to eat in the wild. But, yes, all crows will eat other birds. It's common to see song birds chasing crows just as they do the hawks.
Yes, crows can be helpful. but you have to be aware that they can and ARE happy to eat chicks if given the chance