Do you consider crows friend or foe???

[banter]

We have both here. I have a family of crows which live in the White Pines
just 50' from our house. They are amazing animals. When we moved in a year and a half ago they flew down around us and made a great fuss. I thought it was because of our moving in but,later while I was exploring the forest behind our house, I found the body of a dead crow. They were mourning their loss. I buried it with honor. I have great respect for crows.

 

[Miltonchix]

The crows are the only reason I was able to let my chickens forage outside the coop last summer/fall.
They won't tolerate a hawk anywhere near them. Its comical wathcing the crows "escort" the hawks out of the area.

 

[mikarod]

FOE. They eat the chicken feed, drink the water and eat the eggs. AND the hawks are still around!

Good thing about the hawks...they go after the squirrels that ALSO eat the chicken feed, drink the water...

 

[donnap1967]

Friend....I have lots of hawks in the area and the crows are always chasing them off. Whenever I see a hawk there are always half a dozen crows right behind it in hot pursuit.

 

[redhen]

i have them here also..and they dont protect my flock!..

.....i had 2 seperate hawk or maybe it was a brown eagle attacks here....maybe the crows only go after the hawks? not the eagles?....

 

[Imp]

Last summer I had a Bald Eagle, sitting in a tree, two doors down watching my hens. Within a few minutes there were two crows dive bombing it, within a couple more minutes there was at least eight. It took that many to make the eagle decide to move on. When I throw peanuts into the yard for the crows, squirrels, and jays, it's the chickens that go after the rest to protect their peanuts.

 

[coffeelady3]

Crows are about 1/2 the size of ravens, they're not the same thing. I don't know if ravens will chase off a bird of prey, but I know crows are RELENTLESS!

 

[chickenboy95]

ok thank you all.i love crows and since my eggs are due to hatch here soon on the 21, 22,23,24 then i better keep an eye out.

 

[bluie]

Not only do the crows chase a hawk off, but they also warn other birds that the hawk is around.

 

[verlaj]

Thanks for the education! I did not realize that crows were beneficial in any way - knowing that they help keep the hawks away from the hens changes my view of them. My problem with the crows is they go in the coop and steal eggs. It drives me crazy. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent this? I have not come up with a way to allow the chickens in and out without allowing crows in and out. I have standard size hens, locked up at night, but allowed to free range during the day. I'm thinking of creating a "day door" that is made of mesh with a small flap opening at the bottom where the chickens go in and out. I suspect crows are smart enough to figure that out, but maybe it will discourage them. Many thanks in advance for your thoughts!