Is "Safety" inviting crows? ~~pics~~

[bwebb7]

I have noticed since we started free ranging the flock that we have crows! Do I need to worry about them?
I wonder if since we've gotten our mastiff in (January) that these birds feel safe.
We had 3 different hatches of Bluebirds this year! (we had the bluebird box for 2 years-nuthin!)

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

Crows can take eggs or chicks but will not take on a full size bird. No idea if you 'invited them' but I love the dog! Crows here are cyclical, we have them then we don't so you might just be on the up side of that.

 

[coffeelady3]

One definite up side to crows is that they are excellent for keeping hawks away. They will gang up on them and scare those pesky buggers off. As long as there's no chicks around, I would welcome the crows with open arms, or wings, as the case may be.....

 

[bwebb7]

One definite up side to crows is that they are excellent for keeping hawks away. They will gang up on them and scare those pesky buggers off. As long as there's no chicks around, I would welcome the crows with open arms, or wings, as the case may be.....

thanks coffelady-I was hoping that was the case!

 

[orbirdman]

i hate the scream of the crows from the trees in our backyard as we free range our birds. but we have yet to lose one to the hawks that seem to occasionally be circling. the hawks seem to stay far far away.

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
Well, now I'm bummed. I thought the crows we had might be a threat and occasionally threw walnuts at them. There was a whole murder of them, and we had one that would walk right up to us, unafraid.

All I could think of was contamination. I could do with a hawk deterrent.

 

[bluey]

I truly believe our crows provide a huge service in keeping our hens safe from aerial predators. Sure, they are annoying but I look at them like little fire alarms for chickens and they do a great job in running off hawks....

...they get a big thumbs up from me...

 

[Dodgegal79]

I've lost quite a few chicks to crows, so I shoot them now. I have seen them come down in a group and confuse the momma chicken and grab one of her chicks. My Muscovy ducks will actually give chase if a crow lands, they don't like them.

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I love crows. I find them relaxing for some reason. Even their calls dont bother me.

and yes, it's 1:38 am where I am. I am sick with a nasty cold and cant sleep... so I hopped on here.

 

[silkiechicken]

Crows can be a danger to younger birds and present a increased risk of brining in mites and other bird born pathogens. However, they are good at alerting of hawks, but do not really drive them away since hawk chicks grow up with crows around them constantly. Their biggest thing with hawks is giving the alert so chickens can run and hide if required. It's still no gaurentee of safety just because there is a flock of crows. I am neutral on them, but they never land near the house or on the property. They stay high in the sky. Often they are seeking hand outs and on campus crows are one of the biggest nussance animals that pull trash out of the cans and scatter it everywhere.