Keeping crows from stealing eggs & duck food

[BornToQuack]

I accidentally created monsters by feeding a pair of American Crows. At first, all was well and they were content getting the occasional treat of meal worms, cheese, baked chicken scraps, and other healty tidbits.

Now, the crows boldly steal food from our ducks' food bowl, chase the ducks when the ducks are foraging for worms/bugs, and steal any duck eggs laid outside of the duck house.

It's my fault for welcoming and feeding the crows in the first place, so I feel bad completely cutting them off; however, they're becoming a nuisance. Any ideas for how to keep the crows away without scaring our ducks?

 

[casportpony]

They're doing that here too!

 

[Jpat]

Shooting crows is legal here, almost encouraged. Thats not for everyone though

Your in a sticky sitation i wish i had better advice

 

[casportpony]

Shooting crows is legal here, almost encouraged. Thats not for everyone though

Your in a sticky sitation i wish i had better advice

It's legal here (California) when they are in season.

 

[Jpat]

It's legal here (California) when they are in season.

Ooh never heard of crow season! They are considered Pest Animals here so its free-for-all

They are almost impossible to shoot

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

And they are so darn smart. They keep the hawks away here so I just bought them a bag of cracked corn and put offsets from the ducks a bit. My ducks are fed inside the coop so nothing for the crows to get.

 

[sourland]

When we first moved here, the crows would knock the lids off the trash cans and scatter garbage all over the back yard. I padded the jaws of a leg hold trap and set it on top of the opened garbage can. At daybreak pluperfect 'heck' broke out in the back yard. Princess asked, "What is that." I replied, "Crows being educated." I went out the back door and the screaming mob of crows went silent and landed in the trees. The trapped crow appeared resigned to accepting his/her fate. After giving it a lecture I turned it loose, and the crows since then have never messed with the trash cans. Educate the crows. They have great memories and tell stories of 'danger' to all generations. For me 'educated' crows have been great raptor deterrents.

 

[BornToQuack]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! We're in an urban area where shooting wildlife is illegal, and while the crows are a pain in our butts, we're still trying to stay on their "good" side (don't want to get dive bombed by crows who hold grudges).
In any case, we're considering stringing up fishing line across the backyard which apparently scares most birds when it moves in the wind.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Predator tape may work too it's shiny and crackles in the wind.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Ooh never heard of crow season! They are considered Pest Animals here so its free-for-all

They are almost impossible to shoot

Ours is Nov. 4- Feb 28th with no bag limit but we're in the country and somebody's always shooting something around here so I don't think anyone would notice. Thankfully they aren't a problem like that and they do keep the hawks away.