[MikeM]

i think the pheasent population woud be happier if shooting in the air was illegal.

nah, they'd still find a way to get shot.

[Dizzycow]

We're right in the middle of the estate's shoot, I wouldn't be upset if we bagged the odd pheasant. In season, of course. OH suggested a .22  would be best. I appreciate the advice very much, however. Good to know if the power lines aren't affected! That's my main concern. No danger of me accidentally popping at a chicken, person or dog, as Lill and Roberto will testify!!
OH has a license and gun cabinet, legalities shouldn't be a problem.
Need to get this problem sorted ASAP as it's a terrible waste to have the crows eating the duck eggs. I thought there would be suggestions of Larson traps or similar, interesting that this hasn't been suggested. We do have a pair of magpies too. Do Larson traps work for crows?
Will get a gun though. The way forward, I think. 

[deepinthewoods]

when youve bagged the first one, hang it up in a tree, visible to its mates, as a warning.

[Dizzycow]

My Dad used to do that. If it works, I'll definitely do it. At the least it will scare away unwanted visitors!

[darkbrowneggs]

My ducks are really annoying like that, and yes the crows of all descriptions eat the eggs given half a chance.

What I do is only feed at evening.  They won't come in if its too dark, so I go late afternoon / just before dusk.  Then give them plenty and some water, and leave them in till about 11 next morning.  It working so far and its the first year I am getting any eggs though not many.  I am not sure if that's because they are only just coming into lay or whether the crows are eating them through the pen netting like they did last year 

[harry]

DONT TALK TO ME ABOUT CROWS.... been there done it you will NEVER NEVER shoot enough crows, i have guns, larson traps for crows magpies , hung dead birds in trees, they roost next to them, etc etc, do what i did get rid of the ducks trust me thats the only solution, if the crows dont get the eggs first the rats will, T here is only one remedy you have to lock them in untill 10 am... i had a pen to overnight them covered with bird netting, that worked but didnt stop rats.

[Sandy]

I do not have ducks any more but although I did find them hard to catch I could con them, all you need is some tempting tood and take them to where you can lock them up, worms are good but a hand full of cooked spaghetti looks like worms, or just go with thier usual  feed container and take no notice of them just go where you want them locked up. I noticed with my ducks, if they see you collecting thier eggs they lay somewhere else, for ages I thought our duck had stopped laying then found 44 hidden under a tree!!! We are lucky as our garden is enclosed, we only have a domestic back garden but the chickens and ducks keep the bit they are in weed free.

[Sylvia]

I must be lucky with my ducks. As soon as they see me coming at dusk they file obediently into their house. All eggs are laid by eight a.m. at this time of year.

[jaykay]

Following this thread with interest, I now need to acquire some sort of gun and learn to shoot as the jackdaws are taking over and the only thing that seems to work is shooting them and hanging one on the fence every now and then.

The air rifle we used to have had a sight but was so heavy I couldn't hold it steady. Anyway, OH took it with him when he left.

So - what do you recommend for someone who can't yet shoot (well, a bow and arrow but maybe that's not so much use  ) to kill jackdaws?

[harry]

TRUST ME you are wasting your time.... there are millions of crows etc shoot one and they will see you 500 yards away and will land when youve gone, theyve got all day and they start early,,,kill some and more will move in, it cant be done, ive tried with a good rifle that you cant miss with but there are to many. i hung about 10 dead ones up they roosted next to them they werent bothered.a nice rich duck egg is to tempting.

[doganjo]

I keep my ducks in their inner pen till 10 am - four ducks four eggs every time.  Old dog kennel is their shelter with a door into an old dog cage - great dane sized. Water and food in there if I need to keep them locked up for any reason.

[Dizzycow]

Poor Harry, you sound totally fed up! I'll try to work out a way to get them in at night, I agree that it's the only solution to this problem. Still gonna get a gun and shoot the bastards whenever I can, though!! 

[Womble]

Hi DC. Our duck house has a small 2m x 1m run attached. The idea behind that is that you can feed the ducks in there in the evening, and then lock them in whilst they have their dinner. Once they've finished eating, you can shoo them into the house for the night.

Actually ours go to bed of their own accord (maybe because they were raised by a hen?), but I still think it's a good idea. Hope it's useful anyway.

[Dizzycow]

Breaking News..... There has been an astonishingly coincidental development. There is a duck house next to the pond (Too small to house all the ducks, and they won't go in or come off the pond at night, Womble. Feeding them into the chicken shed at night is the only solution.) which I leave open and full of hay in the hopes that they'll lay there. I check it every day - nothing. Checked it just now - AN EGG! A clever little runner has figured it out. I'd like to think that the others will follow her good example. There wasn't an egg there this morning, so she's laying later than  I'd expect. Brilliant. 

[Sandy]

Ducks are very good at hidding thier eggs