crows

**fordson major** · #1 04/27/05, 08:12 AM

any ideas on getting rid of these pests? any time they get close the guns to far away to git and short of wearing a side arm(which i would fergit and wear to town!) have cleaned up any spilled grain but worry they would peck out new born lambs eyes! they have taken eyes from dead ones . only redeeming feature of these birds is they are cleaning out pigeon eggs!

MaineFarmMom · #2 04/27/05, 11:57 AM

I doubt the lambs will have a problem. Crows want food that doesn't run away.

We have the same problem with crows and ravens. I swear they hear the gun being picked up. We've found nothing that helps.

cathyharrell · #3 04/27/05, 03:56 PM

They are always hanging around waiting to get an egg in the pasture where some of the chickens lay. The other day it was so funny watching my three girl tame wild turkeys trying to run him off.

Wayne02 · #4 04/27/05, 04:13 PM

We've got a bunch of them around here. They like to crap on my truck.

Little Quacker in OR · #5 04/27/05, 04:47 PM

Crows and Ravens eat mice and rats which I detest. Unfortunetely they also eat snakes and other reptiles which I like. LOL They are a good early warning system and will warn you that raptors are around so if needed you can put your chickens in.

I put extra eggs out for them just to keep them around.

LQ

CraftyDiva · #6 04/27/05, 04:53 PM

Just wait for "West Nile" to hit your area, pretty much took care of the crow population around here last summer. Only saw a few so far this spring and we had tons before. They did help cleaning up roadkill pretty fast, miss that.

big rockpile · #7 04/27/05, 06:26 PM

Here in Missouri the season don't open again until November 1.Groundhog season will open again May 9.

big rockpile

SouthernThunder · #8 04/27/05, 10:48 PM

Find you one of those crow tapes where there are a bunch of crows attacking a hawk. They will drop everything to rush to help in the battle. Thats the only time I have ever seen them let their guard down. Other than that you are up against an impressive enemy!

They are the smartest of birds. They have their own "language". In captivity they have a larger vocabulary than a parrot. They can count to at least 5. (when 5 hunters disappear into the woods.. the crows don't come back if just 4 walk out) The crow has uncanny problem solving abilities. It dives hard and extremely fast to dodge shotgun pellets. I've always said, when dealing with crows as pests it is best to treat them as if they were criminal masterminds.

BTW, with clipped wings they make awsome and entertaining pets, although it is illegal in the US to keep them in captivity.

silentcrow · #9 04/28/05, 02:30 AM

Don't forget, crows can be beneficial. They clean up carrion, eat pests, make good warning devices for bird threats, etc. Very few people understand them. I do agree that, in large groups, they can be a nuisance. Corvids are very intelligent, as well as being interesting to watch. I would be more afraid of a large hawk or eagle attacking a lamb than I would a crow.

Quint · #10 04/28/05, 02:57 AM

Crows won't bother any type of farm animal that is alive as far as I know.

Like all corvids, crows are extremely intelligent. The most intelligent bird there is most likely, as intelligent as a dog and possibly even more intelligent than apes. They can indeed count, remember, use and adapt tools and are even believed to have some sort of language. They are very social and have complex family and social structures. They are also said to be able to remember every single food source for miles and miles around in their territory. They also can learn to mimic the human voice much like a parrot. My grandparents had a crow that could mimic quite well. The old-wives tale was that you had to split their tongues to get them to talk but that is a myth.

I've always wanted a pet crow but never got around to obtaining one. I've been told the best way is to take a nestling. It runs afoul (pun intended) of wildlife laws however.

They are indeed a challenge to shoot. Crow and great horned owl decoys and call tapes can work. As intelligent as they are, once you start shooting word seems to spread among crow-dom and they keep their distance. A fun and quite challenging quarry. A nice way to spend and afternoon.

BCR · #11 04/28/05, 05:11 AM

You are correct, they are plagued by West Nile and die quickly. I have not known of them to bother any live animal by plucking at their eyes.

I don't see why they would get on your nerves. If you don't like them eating chicken eggs laid in the field, confine your chickens. Frankly, all kinds of things can eat chicken eggs when in a field...you'd want to discourage other 4-footed predators anyhow, wouldn't you? Plus, confining birds, even for early morning hours to encourage egg-laying in a nest, makes it easier for you to gather the eggs.

Personally, I love seeing them on duty for all the hard work they do eating pest insects and cleaning up the dead. And they are fascinating once you learn about them. Did you know they keep young around for a year or two to help raise the next brood? So family units include older siblings and they work together with the parents to protect their small siblings still in the nest. In the fall when they roost, they will let other birds nest with them and even let them join them in the food source.

My guess is if they are crapping on your truck, your truck is under some trees or a power line and other birds (read pigeons or mourning doves) might be there anyway to do the deed, and they don't earn their keep as well.

**fordson major** · #12 04/28/05, 09:46 AM

we have raise cattle and sheep here for over thirty years .up till this year have never seen them coming into the barn!!my worry is that with there increased boldness that a new born may become a target as they are very imobile . lots of cats and fox to take care of other rodents and carrion we bury as it attracts coyote and looks/smells bad! your right about hawks! had them harrass a nice one till it moved on .we have west nile here just north of ogdensberg so far crows have not been affected but have had some horses and people affected.

Xandras_Zoo · #13 04/28/05, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quint

I've always wanted a pet crow but never got around to obtaining one. I've been told the best way is to take a nestling. It runs afoul (pun intended) of wildlife laws however.

I have always wanted a pet crow too. I'm working on getting a nestling this spring. One very happy moment was when I caught a sick one. Too bad it died the next day

Back to the subject of getting rid of them, here's a crow trap. No idea if it would work, but you could give it a try
http://www.crowbusters.com/crowtrap.htm
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~lreed/dimensions.htm

BCR · #14 04/28/05, 05:06 PM

Xandra- there is a book that is called "Hand Taming Wild Birds" or similar, that you might find fascinating.

SouthernThunder · #15 04/28/05, 09:27 PM

You could also dress up like a crow and participate in a murder.

BCR · #16 04/29/05, 07:18 AM

"dress up like a crow..."

I don't get it. What does that mean? (maybe my brain is just slow this AM)

Dances In Woods · #17 04/29/05, 09:33 AM

BCR, a "murder" of crows is what u call a group of them.

My brother-in-law told us to get some really cheap whiskey and soak some corn in it then toss it out for them to eat. He says it will make them tipsy and have trouble flying away and then its easier to get a shot off on them. The ones around here I swear they can hear me reach for the gun also.

Also, considering they like swarming raptors how bout getting a fake owl (with the rotating head) and when they come harass it then have a go at them.

steveaust · #18 04/30/05, 04:29 AM

I believe you can catch crows in a cage about 6 feet by 6 feet by 6feet high with chicken wire all round and a hole in the middle of the roof that is large enough for them to jump down in to eat the bait but not large enough to fly back up through with wings spread.I have not tried it, just read it somewhere.The bait used was a sheeps head but i reckon you could find something a little less on the nose that they would like.Once one is trapped all his mates come to help.

mrglock27 · #19 04/30/05, 05:11 AM

my friend got this wounded crow tape, he cranks up the tape outside and tons of crows start circling and landing in the trees then he picks them off with the 22 or a few at a time with the shotgun if they're low enough.

MaineFarmMom · #20 04/30/05, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BCR

I don't see why they would get on your nerves. If you don't like them eating chicken eggs laid in the field, confine your chickens. Frankly, all kinds of things can eat chicken eggs when in a field...you'd want to discourage other 4-footed predators anyhow, wouldn't you? Plus, confining birds, even for early morning hours to encourage egg-laying in a nest, makes it easier for you to gather the eggs.

They sit on the fence and fuss up a storm because they can see eggs in the nest boxes but not get to them. They learned to eat eggs when they were in the duck pen. They get into the pig's food before she eats. They wake me up in the morning.