Do crows eat chicks?

[Lavonne]

I put out my six-week old chicks in their yard for the first time today. I left for a couple of hours, and when I came back five of them had been killed - beheaded. A crow was sitting on top of the shed and flew off when I got in the yard. I can only suspect it was done by the crow. I'm in shock.

 

[buffbuttercup]

this is also what i was wondering. a crow came and perched on the roof of my shed/coop and i was wondering if HE was wondering about

the chickens or what the chickens are eating?? my birds are between 3 and 5 weeks old. he actually came to check on things as i was

typing this! but my babes are inside

i only let them in the run, which is uncovered b/c i am planning on letting them free-range when

the time comes, when i am available to watch and stick close. they LOVE the outside time. looking forward to hearing more crow stories -

and glad to hear they ward off hawks!

 

[chics in the sun]

Lavonne,
I'm so sorry to hear that, but it is unlikely it was a crow. Six week old chicks are a pretty good size, and a crow would have probably just taken one away and eaten it. My guess would be a dog or something.

 

[Redcatcher]

I would say that they CAN take a newly hatch chick but generally will not. I have a crow that lives with my chickens. He is not at all sick but he goes in and roosts with them at night. He walks out with them when I let them out and then flies up on top of the chicken house. He occassionally steals eggs but is more interested in eating the layer pellets and corn. I have not had any predator problems since he has been roosting with them at night. Crows will NOT behead. I have seen them eat good sized sparrow chicks and they will beat them on the ground or on the fence and swallow them whole. If the chicks were beheaded, suspect a weasel.

 

[buffbuttercup]

hmmmm....so what i'm speculating is that the crow was there to pick up the pieces. am sorry for your loss, your lone survivor will need some new friends! best of luck in the future!

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Crows can be bad for stealing eggs and eating young chicks. Older chicks they'll usually leave alone. They are good watch birds for hawks and such.

.....Alan.

 

[christina lee]

Crow ate my baby chick

 

[SebastHen]

Very interesting thread! I just got my newborn chicks a week ago & a jay is stalking them ever since I first let them out on the grass in a covered cage. I went in the house for a minute, and when I came out the smallest chick was at the feet of this jay.

Now, several days later, I won't put them in the yard, but I really want them to get fresh air & weather is perfect, so they are in dog cage adjacent to my kitchen. I have french doors open so I can watch them. That jay has already gotten in the cage when I just left the room!
So now I am sitting here, fully visible to the jay, but that isn't enough. I have to look up & around the area every so often so I can throw objects at him - he must be watching us very closely.