Crows killed my chicken.

[mullman]

Some crows attacked and killed one of my chickens. How do I keep them from killing the rest? The run they are currently in is too small to keep them in all the time so until I can get a bigger one built I need some suggestions.

 

[N F C]

Welcome to BYC. Sorry for the loss of your chicken.

If you're letting your chickens free range because their run is too small, it's going to be tough to keep birds of prey (like crows and hawks) from getting them. This is a good article about crows you may be interested in reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/crow-chicken-pests-how-to-protect-your-chickens-from-crows

Good luck to you.

 

[centrarchid]

How old or large are the chicks? Is it possible ravens rather than crows involved?

 

[Honey B]

Did you actually see the attack? Could it be possible that the chicken died from a different cause and the crows were being opportunistic? I would also be interested to find out the size of the deceased bird. I am sorry for the loss of your chicken.

 

[Bigwig]

Some crows attacked and killed one of my chickens. How do I keep them from killing the rest? The run they are currently in is too small to keep them in all the time so until I can get a bigger one built I need some suggestions.

The best cure for crows is a 22. rifle.

 

[Monguire]

Sorry to read about your loss.

The most expedient suggestion would likely be to add immediate/temporary cover to your free range area. This can be as simple as a lean-to or even folding tables. Anything that allows the chickens to break line of sight with the marauding aerial threat once the alarm is raised. There should be multiple "bomb shelters" scattered around your free range area as the flock will likely spread out during the course of ranging and will likely scatter further upon alarm. Most aerial threats are only that...threats while in the air and with a clear unfettered vector down onto your chicken buffet. Force that same threat to the ground (by use of cover) with your chickens and it immediately looses most of it's predatory advantage. Could it still take the very weak/young/old? Absolutely. Will it tangle with a flock in it's prime? Doubtful. Add a decent rooster to the mix able to operate from relative safety (i.e. cover) and it's highly unlikely you'll have any losses from a grounded aerial predator.

Longer term suggestions would be to plant natural ground-cover and expand your secure run.

I am also curious about the age/size of your lost chicken. While I dislike crows, they are actually of some value to my flock in that they don't like to share the local airspace with marauding hawks. I've been out with my girls and watched multiple occasions where crows had harassed a hawk to the point it just moved on versus loitering over my yard observing. I've never had issues with crows bothering my 8-month old girls but wouldn't trust them at all around chicks.

 

[sourland]

If a crow is indeed the culprit, kill one crow and leave it in the yard. The others will not be back. Crows are extremely intelligent. When we moved here (50 years ago), the crows would knock the lids off of the garbage cans and rip open the garbage bags. One night I wired a padded jump trap to the can and set it on top of the garbage. The next morning all Hades broke out in the back yard. The Princess said, "What is going on?" My reply, "Crow education". I went outside and all but the trapped crow left. The trapped crow flattened out and played dead. After a bit of a talk I released the crow. 50 years later and the crows go nowhere near my garbage.

 

[N F C]

If a crow is indeed the culprit, kill one crow and leave it in the yard. The others will not be back. Crows are extremely intelligent. When we moved here (50 years ago), the crows would knock the lids off of the garbage cans and rip open the garbage bags. One night I wired a padded jump trap to the can and set it on top of the garbage. The next morning all Hades broke out in the back yard. The Princess said, "What is going on?" My reply, "Crow education". I went outside and all but the trapped crow left. The trapped crow flattened out and played dead. After a bit of a talk I released the crow. 50 years later and the crows go nowhere near my garbage.

Very smart sourland!

 

[marktoo]

The crows & hawks live in a very uneasy coexistence in the farmland behind my home. The hawks are greatly outnumbered & during spring & summer they are persecuted unmercifully. Should the crows find their numbers too small to do the job, reinforcements are just a caw away & they come in by the dozens from all directions. Other times of the year they pretty much ignore each other. While on occasion a hawk will enter the backyard to drink or perch, I have never seen a crow do so in the 25+ years I've been here. Never have understood why. Perhaps because there is more food elsewhere.

 

[minamisfit]

I had no idea crows would kill chickens, I just posted about crows coming and "visiting" my chickens at the compost pile. They seem like they get along even? Here's pictures, should I be concerned?