My 21 (12 females, 9 drakes) ducks are semi free ranged in a 27ft x 50ft fenced area which is our garden and often lay eggs wherever (a few will use their coop). We totally free range when home during the day. Often we have crows in the yard but never bothered anything or went into the fenced pens.. The last couple days we've had a couple rogue crows flying into the pen before I'm able to collect eggs. They've eaten a total of 4 eggs, 2 today and 2 yesterday. I have a broody girl with 3 eggs, sitting since April 28th. We've even seen the crows fly into the pen, walk into the sheltered area adjacent to their coop, I'm guessing to steal food. My boyfriend has fired off the shogun several times but they still come back.
Aside from shooting the crows because they do keep the hawks away, does anyone have any successful suggestions that might stop the crows from eating the ducks eggs? In the next week or so, I'm moving the ducks to a new pen, once sectioned off and gate is made. I'm concerned they're still going to go after the eggs. I have poly poles set every 5 feet in each direction to deter hawks and owls, which works very well. I usually put up umbrellas but the weather hasn't been cooperative (rainy, windy). I also have aluminum pie pans tied to a few poles but it's not deterring the crows.
Aside from shooting the crows because they do keep the hawks away, does anyone have any successful suggestions that might stop the crows from eating the ducks eggs? In the next week or so, I'm moving the ducks to a new pen, once sectioned off and gate is made. I'm concerned they're still going to go after the eggs. I have poly poles set every 5 feet in each direction to deter hawks and owls, which works very well. I usually put up umbrellas but the weather hasn't been cooperative (rainy, windy). I also have aluminum pie pans tied to a few poles but it's not deterring the crows.