RAVENS.... daytime predator.... feet and bones left! update

[Hillsvale]

Other than the crows or ravens which stole some day old chicks we have been pretty lucky. Today however things changed!!

Everyone was healthy when we left for work, the meaties are 9 weeks old and about 7-8 pounds.... they have a hut that they sleep and eat in and a pen inside our fully fenced pasture... welded wire fencing with barb wire around the whole top. Birds are contained from roaming too far in the pasture with chicken wire.... this was not intended to do anything but contain the chickens....

My layer flock is fine behind their welded wire/chicken wire run.
lambs and goat... fine
pigs ... well they are obviously fine
3 month old geese and turkeys and a 5 week old turkey roam the area freely, they are fine
we have three week old baby meaties in the second half of the hut only seperated by chicken wire to keep them enclosed/inside.... they are fine
Within the meaty pen we have three birds with bites out of their butts....

One bird is completely eaten..... just its feet, bones, some connective tissue and the wings are left.... feathers everywhere.... this was a roo, I found is comb!!

We have eagles, hawks, bob cat, foxes, coyotes, racoons, knk, bear....not too many dogs about this was broad daylight!!

Thoughts? We think we will leave our ageing shepherd out while we are at work pending everyones's thoughts...

ETA.. it's ravens!! thoughts other than using a tent stle gazebo to keep them safe?

 

[Hillsvale]

OK... so a neighbour answered the question... Ravens, 4 or 5 of them.

What are your thoughts now to protect my birds?

 

[akcountrygrrl]

Ravens are my number 1 predator. I've had them kill quail that were in a completely enclosed cage with 1"x2" wire. They took out 2 full grown African geese this winter and full grown ducks (Pekin and Muscovy) last fall. They are horrible. They are HORRIBLE!!! I can't even let my birds free range unless I'm outside watching them every minute. A couple of weeks ago, I let my chicks out, ran around the front of the house for less than 5 minutes, and came back to find that they had killed 2 Polish. I didn't hear anything AND my Great Dane was outside at the time. The only birds that I have that they will leave alone are the turkeys. Living in Alaska you would think that fox, coyote, lynx, bear, wolves, and eagles would be my greatest concern. NOPE, it's the darn ravens. For those who think they will only eat dead animals, I can prove you wrong.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

As to your question on how to protect your birds... About the only thing you can do is keep them locked up in a covered run when you aren't there to watch them and hope that none of them decide to nap against the wire. Oh, did I mention that a raven got one of my Brahmas through the run wire because the chick decided to sleep next to the wire????

 

[Mahonri]

Ravens? That really surprises me. Glad we don't have those in Phoenix... We've had hawks go after our birds while free ranging and then the odd alley cat that has gotten chicks.

 

[MeatKing]

Ravens, really? I'm so sorry for your loses. Thanks for posting this though, I never would have thought. I will be watching my birds closer now. Good luck!

 

[PineappleMama]

Googled 'cuz it's been a while and HOLY POO ON TOAST...

Forget the run, I want to cover my whole dang yard AND house.

 

[FarmrGirl]

Ack! Oh man, that's terrible! I'm so sorry you lost some of your flock

Unfortunately, ravens are protected under "Birds Protected By The Migratory Bird Treaty Act". Because if you kill one in full sight of the others they'll leave your chickens alone. However, *ahem* crows are not protected...

I find that wire strung in a web or star pattern over the henyard works great. I recently created a giant 100' x 80' web of 20lb test fishing line over the area where my ducks like to play in their pool to keep the falcons from sport killing them. It's honestly the only thing other than putting them behind hardwire cloth all day that works.

Best of luck to you!!

 

[Hillsvale]

thanks for your thoughts... we reworked their run today and I just got back from the store with fishing lne to do just what you said!.. We will check at an army surpus store tomorrow when the stores reopen (Canada Day)... I haven't put that much time and money into these birds to let somethng other than me eat them.... failng that a neighbour may need to find me a decoy to ward off future ravens. Funy enough someone suggested a scarecrow!

The ravens have been hanging out all day...

 

[moetrout]

S S S.....