The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Mays on July 10, 2012, 08:51:14 pm
-
I had a rather pleasing afternoon watching four magpies creeping into my Nesting boxes, smashing eggs and getting a beek of mustard for their efforts... they were very upset with me, and I am one up tonight... I ahve moved the hens (indoors for a while) and will set the trap again tomorrow and the day after and the day after, well as long as it takes so they get the message!
Will this work though?? ::)
-
Theiving magpies.
-
You might find they actually like the taste of mustard Mays, like some chickens do. Just putting rubber curtains up at the nest box works. In fact we have one coop where we can't fit curtains and that was targeted, so we fitted a plastic slit heavy duty feed bag over the main door and they won't go through that, but the chickens will. Tried pot anmd rubber eggs but that didn't work as they can tell the difference to the real ones around them. Stppoed the chickens testing the eggs though -they sometimes tap them to check the shell thickness and break the thinner shelled ones.
Most of our Magpies were caught in a rabbit trap baited with apple last month -5 in a week.
-
I mixed it with vinegar, hope that I can just spray the vinegar around the entrance to put them off, meanwhile I will set a new batch of mustard eggs tomorrow and see if they return, if they do I will know they like it and will change tactics.
-
Will magpies attack chickens? i am asking because I have a lot of magpies at the moment who are stealing the chickens feed and are aggressive, and today I found one of my hens, dead in the hen house, with feathers pulled out( but not sure it isn't a brood patch). I was concerned about one of the other hens, but this one came out of the blue. :'( RIP Miss Havisham
-
So sorry to hear about your chook Greenerlife, I don't know if they would attact a full grown chicken though :-\
I've been concerned this year because we have no swallows (well, apart from one pair that arrived when they all would have normally) :( I'm 99% sure it's because of the magpies >:( Time for a bit of vermin control me thinks ;)
Good luck with the mustard Mays, I'm getting the gun though :innocent:
Karen :wave:
-
Hi Greenerlife. Our large chickens chase the Magpies away. The Bantams used to be bullied off their grain feed treat by one, until I shot it!
-
Will magpies attack chickens? i am asking because I have a lot of magpies at the moment who are stealing the chickens feed and are aggressive, and today I found one of my hens, dead in the hen house, with feathers pulled out( but not sure it isn't a brood patch). I was concerned about one of the other hens, but this one came out of the blue. :'( RIP Miss Havisham
sorry to hear that, dont think a magpie woudl take on a hen though mine are very jumpy
-
Try Tobbasco sause with the mustard....
:fc:
-
Well I watched my chickens attack a Magpie last week while it was trying to pinch their corn, it barely escaped with its life. It was a 3 sided attack and they all went in feet first - funny enough they haven't been back since, but I am going to put a net over their run, just in case!!