Crows

[lleighmay]

Crows are an excellent early warning system. This time of year they're even more vigilant because their babies are out of the nest and have joined the flock. Hawks are not the only raptor they'll harass and run off; I've seen them mob owls that are minding their own business and trying to sleep. They'll also alert you to any ground predators and I've seen them chase away cats and snakes. Conceivably one could snatch a chick but I think hens and roos would put a stop to that. Keep them around and they'll alert you (and your chickens) to potential dangers.

 

[ozark hen]

goveggie, that would be awesome if you could post a pic of your husband feeding the crows. Pretty cool.
As to the t.v. commercial...can anyone tell me if crows really do have that much white on them? I have never in my life seen a crow with white on them and wondered about that commercial? thanks

 

[lleighmay]

I think the birds on the commercial are actually magpies; I'm pretty sure they're in the crow family tho.

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
thanks for the quick response.

 

[Minefalls]

We have a lot of crows around us too, and too my suprise, I had my girls out and heard them making a lot of noise. I ran outside as thought they may have been after my girls, nope they were chasing a hawk away.
Thank goodness!

 

[BearSwampChick]

A couple of factoids about crows:

They mate for life.

A flock of crows is called a "murder of crows".

I wish our crows would come back. We lost them to West Nile Virus when that big epidemic went through a few years ago.

 

[kinnip]

I never noticed the crow-hawk dynamic until I read about it here. Since then, I've noticed crows escorting a hawk off the premises a couple of times a week. I thought they were a nuisance, but now I love my crows.

 

[dixygirl]

Now I want more crows too

The late summer amaranth that they enjoy has been reseeding itself EVERYWHERE. At first I thought it was an ugly tall weed with those maroon berries they love. But now I am seeing that as a welcome addition too

Maybe I can take some seed, spread it around to encourage other big plots of it for more to come! What else can I do to bring more crows around.

It looked like a scene from the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds" around here last late summer/fall. I want even MORE now

http://www.fancast.com/movies/The-Birds/1532/681973984/The-Birds-Amass/videos
http://www.fancast.com/movies/The-Birds/1532/681975279/The-Children-Run/videos
http://www.fancast.com/movies/The-Birds/1532/681976480/Trapped-In-Phonebooth/videos
http://www.fanpop.com/spots/alfred-hitchcock/videos/882511 (FULL MOVIE)

 

[BearSwampChick]

I can't believe it! I think I heard young crows in our woods just a little while ago! I will be so happy if they are back!

It could be why we haven't seen any hawks around lately.

 

[chickenfanatic]

crows can be anooying but they are a good alert system but watch ur gardens hahaha