Crows! :\

[SophiaMoon]

Just so you all know if you kill one crow of a pairing you will be attacked by the remaining crow. Crows mate for life and don't take it very well if yo kill their spouse. So do not shoot a crow or raven. Cheese, meat and eggs are all great food to attract crows. So its natural for them to take eggs. Consider it the payment to the guardians of the flock. I just stop and got my guys back in the coop cause the crows warned me a raptor of some kind is out. Good things my babies hid under my chair when the crows tell them to. Its just tough to get them out so we can move to the coop.

 

[Rich386]

At one point in my life I had ducks when they hatched out chicks. The crows carried off the chicks it was like a horror movie. Can anyone else relate to this.

 

[thedragonlady]

At one point in my life I had ducks when they hatched out chicks. The crows carried off the chicks it was like a horror movie. Can anyone else relate to this.

Never put out day old chicks without cover when you have a murder of crows about with new chicks.They WILL feed their babies. My chicks do not go out until at least 3 weeks old.

 

[sourland]

Quote:
What? I have seen several instances when hunters call in and shoot crows. As soon as they figure out what is going on all that I have ever seen is a flock of crows getting out of Dodge. Never seen a bereaved crow go on the attack.

 

[Rich386]

Quote: In my defense I was not raising ducks. I happened to have a small lake at the time and thought it was a good idea to get some ducks. The ducks just did what ducks do in hind sight so did the crows.

 

[SophiaMoon]

Sourland, this was not a hunter that i know shooting crows but a city dwelling homeowner who had been shooting city crows. He shot a baby crow a year cause he did not like them. 1 year he shot the adult Crow. The remaining Crow every time he went outside would sit out and caw him. It got to the point where it would follow his car up and down the block flying about a foot over the roof of it. He couldn't do anything outside without that Crow knowning about it and it was smart enough to stay out of gunshot range but so annoyed enough to let everybody know when he came out. It was a very interesting year. City Crows that are not used to being hunted react a little differently then country Crows that are used to being hunted.

 

[crowinncluckn]

Quote:
The lake in back of my husband's office is a natural nesting place for ducks of all kinds and therefore predators of all kinds. He tells me daily of seeing baby ducks carted off by Osprey, Eagles, Ravens, Blue Herons and Hawks. Some ducks have as many as 14 babies hatch out and end up with none left after the feasting is over. It is so sad and I can imagine if they are your pets it is even worse.

 

[cholacat]

I put my 6 week old chicks in a 4' high pen under a tree for a couple of hours in the afternoon. It's lattice with bird netting on the sides until they are big enough not to get through the holes. No cover on the top.
Today there was a crow roosting and cawing loudly above them so I shoo'd him off.
Any chance he might grab one or should I just let him watch?
We have small avian predators around but lots of cover for the bigger girls who free range when I'm home.

 

[Serenity Sav]

At 6 weeks, it's probably nothing to worry about. If you are worried, it's always better to be safe than sorry, but it's highly unlikely they would be threatened at that age.

 

[thedragonlady]

I put my 6 week old chicks in a 4' high pen under a tree for a couple of hours in the afternoon. It's lattice with bird netting on the sides until they are big enough not to get through the holes. No cover on the top.
Today there was a crow roosting and cawing loudly above them so I shoo'd him off.
Any chance he might grab one or should I just let him watch?
We have small avian predators around but lots of cover for the bigger girls who free range when I'm home.

Crows will not bother chicks that old, but Ravens will ! Ravens are much larger, and have whiskers.They live mostly in the West.