The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: Polished Arrow on June 26, 2012, 11:23:42 pm
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Having lost our entire last hatching of chicks to ravens, we now have a new batch. They are just a few days old :) Our plans for their new home when they are ready to go out naturally include overhead protection this time.
Meanwhile, up in the field, our gilts are due to give birth. Crows, magpies and ravens were all flying in and out of the new farrowing pens this afternoon... I am of course worried about them attacking the piglets.
Will a scarecrow really keep birds like the ravens away, do you think? I am planning to make one double-quick come daylight, and hopefully before the piglets have either arrived or put their heads out of the farrowing ark...
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We have a substincial rook adn crow population, that I keep under some control with a gun, but do go in and out of our farrowing sheds to nick food and bedding. We have never had piglets attacked to our knowledge, and we do aroumnd 3 litters a month.
Scarecrows work for very brief periods only (a day or so) unless constantly moved and changed
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It's magpies and crows that bother us - mainly stealing pig food and perching on the pigs' backs ::)
We use an air rifle (more as a scare tactic in my case as my aim is soooo bad ;) ) but it keeps them away better than any 'devices' - we tried scarecrows and hanging CD's as you would for veggies, it didn't work :-\
Karen :wave:
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Never had crows attack babies, but last year we had a HUGE amount of crows and they started pecking the kunekune's backs and shoulders open!! they actually removed pieces of skin! leaving stressed out and bleeding piggies! >:( :o never known this to happen to anyone else!
I tried tying balloons up on each fence post with giant smiley faces on!! it worked for a bit but in the end as the pigs were going to give birth I had to move them into the stable. never had it happen since!
Next time each piggie gets a helium balloon tied to them I reckon!!
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Never had crows attack babies, but last year we had a HUGE amount of crows and they started pecking the kunekune's backs and shoulders open!! they actually removed pieces of skin! leaving stressed out and bleeding piggies! >:( :o never known this to happen to anyone else!
I tried tying balloons up on each fence post with giant smiley faces on!! it worked for a bit but in the end as the pigs were going to give birth I had to move them into the stable. never had it happen since!
Next time each piggie gets a helium balloon tied to them I reckon!!
I like this idea :D
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lets hope the pigs are big enough otherwise pigs might actually fly!!
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We have had a big problem with crows stealing food but the only way we seem to scare them off, other than the air rifle is a larson trap and hanging up the dead ones. This really seems to keep them away. Abit macarbre but if it works :o
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I find that the sows make good scarecrows! :pig:
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We had a big population of jackdaws that were being a real nuisance. A larsen trap has proved very effective.
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NOTHING WORKS WELL everything helps a tiny bit for a short time, but there are 1000s of rooks etc, you are outnumbered
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a walk in larsen trap with a call bird is the best bet... you can catch 10 or more in a very short time
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We've got the same problem here with crows & jackdaws - they've just decimated a nest of ready to hatch dozen eggs - I don't know how they found the nest. They only had a day or 2 to go & the poor hen is still nesting & clocking in total shock. It was not a pretty sight, as they had dropped some of the eggs in the yard, revealing perfectly formed, but dead chicks >:( :'(
However, we've not had any problems with piglets (even though they're wee KKs :love: ) I usually try & get the mums inside to farrow, but 2 of them beat me to it last summer & the winged rats showed no interest in them. Probably full-up of chicken eggs ::)
:love: :pig: :love:
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Some helpful replies here, folks.
Today my OH went up the hill to work in the field by the farrowing pens and took his air rifle.
He is convinced that the very presence of the rifle kept them away as he never had one settle anywhere for him to even take a pot shot at.
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They are very clever birds and they soon learn what to avoid. Hanging a few dead ones around the area you want to keep them away from works well. But if you use a trap and want to keep catching don't let them see you kill a trapped bird or they'll never go near it again.
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how much time have you got? crows etc can see your eyelid blink at 50 yards, with a rifle you have to sit for ages to get one shot off then thats it for an hour, traps ok but best placed where the thieving ones go and get them first, ive solved the problem of duck egg thieves by netting a large pen off, the ducks have a small exit and entrance hole that the rooks havent found, i gave up shooting and trapping them it takes forever to get nowhere. learn to live with them cos youll never get the upper hand.... pigs no problem