Some Raven Took away a 9 week old Chicken

[Severne]

Yesterday I had my 9 weeks old free ranging, I don’t usually have predators at my house unless I get a new dogs or a new coon came around. So I as outside reading a book and I heard a young chick screaming. I thought it was my broody hen with her chicks but I ran down to see. It wasn’t the broody hens chicks (and duckling) so I went into the orchard where The coop is. Then I saw two ravens flying away, one had the 9 week olds head in its mouth While the poor little thing was flapping to get away. They flew far far away and the chick was eaten in their nest. It was a black half silkie and I wonder why they chose that one. It is one of the fastest of the 9 week olds. I wonder if it was because it was black or because it was smaller? You can’t shoot or trap crows in CA as they are protected. I put the 9 weeks old up but they will grow out of their cage soon and then I’m worried about the raven. Anyone ever had this? What did you do?

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but from what I have heard, crows don't normally touch chickens while ravens will. So if crows are protected, are ravens? I have what I believe are crows at my home. I've never had them bother my chickens but they sure do make a mess of my garden. I honestly can't tell the difference between the two, but I have three week old chicks that are out in the open with mama hen all the time and thus far, no issues from the crows for the chicks either.

 

[Severne]

Oh, I’m sorry, I meant ravens are protected, you can shoot crows, just in season though.

 

[Severne]

Ravens are about twice as big and I’ve actually seen one pick up a rabbit fly up 30 feet, and drop it. It had a broken neck when I went over there to scare them away. I thought it was a freak situation but I didn’t think it would happen to a young chicken.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Ravens are about twice as big and I’ve actually seen one pick up a rabbit fly up 30 feet, and drop it. It had a broken neck when I went over there to scare them away. I thought it was a freak situation but I didn’t think it would happen to a young chicken.

That is amazing! Picked it up in its beak???

 

[wyoDreamer]

When we lived in Wyoming, our neighbor had a herd of antelope that hung out around his place. The does were having their babies in his yard. Most of the antelope in our area had twin fawns as they were well fed on landscape plants. There was a flock of ravens there killing and eating newborn fawns while the doe was still down having the second one. He was trying to scare away the ravens without scaring the antelope, but didn't have any luck getting them to leave.
These were the same ravens that would fly into our yard and make a ruckus until our dogs would start barking and running at them. They would then fly up onto the roof and make a fuss to keep the dogs barking. When the dogs stopped barking at them, they would fly down into the yard to start it all over again. What a fun game...

Ravens are jerks (not my first word choice). Now that they know you have a food source they will be back.

I wonder if a fake owl would work for ravens like they do for crows. Maybe make a mobile out of old computer discs and hang it outside near the chickens to scare the ravens off.

 

[Clearwater Chicken]

Are you legal to shoot them if the eat your food ie garden/animals?

 

[iwltfum]

Ravens are tough. I loose more chickens to ravens every year than any other predator. They like teenage birds and chicks. And will even try to pull them through chicken wire. I lost a 3 week old meat bird the other day that got pulled through the wire on a pasture pen and they ate most of it through the wire. In years past, they have traditionally like to prey on my up and coming laying hens right around the time I start feeling comfortable letting them outside. The ravens will remind me. I used to fire off a shotgun round anytime I saw them around my farm. Recently I bought an air horn and blast it off anytime I see them anywhere near my chickens. I have shot a couple in the past that got really pushy. The loud noises and shooting one or two are the only ways I have found to get rid of them (semi-permanently). Obviously, if you are anywhere near other houses, you might not be able to do any of that. A scarecrow or one of those balls with big red and black "eyes" on them can help some, but they will get used to it fairly quickly. I wish you all the luck with dealing with them. I've poured alot of frustration into my raven problem and they still come around.

 

[iwltfum]

here's the ball I was talking about. It's called bird-x
https://www.grainger.com/product/8D...kwcid=AL!2966!3!264955916291!!!g!439770491897!

 

[humblehillsfarm]

When we lived in Wyoming, our neighbor had a herd of antelope that hung out around his place. The does were having their babies in his yard. Most of the antelope in our area had twin fawns as they were well fed on landscape plants. There was a flock of ravens there killing and eating newborn fawns while the doe was still down having the second one. He was trying to scare away the ravens without scaring the antelope, but didn't have any luck getting them to leave.
These were the same ravens that would fly into our yard and make a ruckus until our dogs would start barking and running at them. They would then fly up onto the roof and make a fuss to keep the dogs barking. When the dogs stopped barking at them, they would fly down into the yard to start it all over again. What a fun game...

Ravens are jerks (not my first word choice). Now that they know you have a food source they will be back.

I wonder if a fake owl would work for ravens like they do for crows. Maybe make a mobile out of old computer discs and hang it outside near the chickens to scare the ravens off.

I just watched Hitchcock's The Birds recently and now realize his inspiration for using ravens! That's horrifying!