Giant crow an threat!?

[coledabomb]

We have 6 bantam chickens that are 4-6 months old and they all free range during the day. Well a few months back we saw a giant crow stalking my chickens so I was very worried and guarded my chickens, he than did a slow fly right above us and that’s when we saw how big he really was! Well fast forward to now there’s 2 more of them and we haven’t seen them since last time. We don’t have eggs or food in the coop so I don’t know what it could be. Any help would be amazing thanks!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Crows will go after young, small chicks

 

[coledabomb]

Crows will go after young, small chicks

Like 4 month old buff orp bantam young

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Like 4 month old buff orp bantam young

How big is that? The size of a Wyandotte bantam that age? Or bigger/smaller?

Most of my bantams that age are safe from crows, but occasionally I'll lose a sebright or D'uccle/d'Anvers that's on the smaller side

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@coledabomb , from your description it sounds like you may have ravens (not crows) checking out your flock. Ravens are nearly twice the size of crows. Ravens can be the size of a red-tail hawk, while crows are similiar in size to pigeons. Beaks are shaped different, as are shapes of their tail feathers. If you hear them vocalizing, crows give the classic "caw caw", while ravens sound much deeper & gutteral, almost as if they are croaking.

Yes, unfortunately ravens are a potential threat to your adult bantams.

 

[coledabomb]

@coledabomb , from your description it sounds like you may have ravens (not crows) checking out your flock. Ravens are nearly twice the size of crows. Ravens can be the size of a red-tail hawk, while crows are similiar in size to pigeons. Beaks are shaped different, as are shapes of their tail feathers. If you hear them vocalizing, crows give the classic "caw caw", while ravens sound much deeper & gutteral, almost as if they are croaking.

Yes, unfortunately ravens are a potential threat to your adult bantams.

Thank you now that I saw pictures it does look like em

 

[cmom]

I have never had an issue with crows. In fact they will chase a hawk off. I have been seeing a young Red-Tailed hawk and the crows chasing it. I stopped free ranging years ago due to losses from predators. I had pens for my birds but expanded them out so they all have nice large pens. My land is mostly open pasture and the birds do prefer to be in their pens. I have let them out but before long they all go back in their pens. I think they feel safe in them. When a bird has gotten out they are always trying to find a way to get back in. For whatever reason they never seem to figure out how they got out but want back in. Good luck...

 

[mowin]

Ravens are becoming more and more frequent in our area. There ferocious. Above and beyond what a crow even though to be. And there protected.
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