[shygirl]

we are normally never bothered by crows (or are they ravens?) as they usually nest in the village but recently we have a group of 10 right by the house and barn. they were even eating the dog muck i had put in a barrow today by the backdoor.
im a bit concerned as i have goat kids in the barn and the crows are hanging around there an awful lot.
is there a danger they will attack the goat kids?
thanks

[Anke]

Not likely if the kids are lively and up and playing etc. The crows around here go and "inspect" the goat droppings in the field and I guess eat any undigested grains etc.

[fifixx]

Bloody things are eating up all the chicken food

[john and helen]

shoot them..they are logged as vermin...

[HelenVF]

Are you sure they are crows?  You don't normally see more than a handful of crows together. 

BTW, you can't kill ravens - they are protected. 

Helen

[chrismahon]

I have heard they peck they eyes out of young livestock and then wait for them to get lost from their mother. At which time they wait for them to weaken and eat them alive. I have never witnessed that and hope I never will.

[HelenVF]

I've seen Ravens peck eyes out of an injured ewe

Helen

[Greenerlife]

Bloody things are eating up all the chicken food

Yep - me too.  magpies as well. Got a pen within a pen now, so food is protected.  reckon they were eating half the feed!

[john and helen]

I think the only ravens that are protected Helen are those in the london tower... all corvids are on the licence
\
Crows, ravens, jackdaws, rooks, jays magpies

[HelenVF]

Just read you can shoot them under special licence in Scotland and they are allowed to shoot more.  Imagine still need a licence for England?

Helen

[shygirl]

i dont think i know the difference  between crows and ravens 
they are going in the stable with my goats now, hopefully just after the food, still feeling nervous as they are so big compared to the goat kids.

[Still playing with tractors]

As mentioned before anything can be shot but only if they are listed on the general licences and there is a reason to do so. The best way to deal with crows is to blow the nests at springtime. otherwise traps can be effective such s larson traps, these have to be registered with your local wildlife police officer.

Please go to the BASC website for all the up to date information on the general licences. AS mentioned you can apply for a special licence to shoot ravens.

Crows and ravens will attack ewe's when they go down for birth as they know they cannot fight them off, they peck the eyes out as they are soft. they will then move onto the lambs.
Crows ravens and magpies all eat faeces including dog.

[nicandem]

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/Images/wml-gl04_tcm6-24149.pdf


here is a link to the general licence.


I can't find anything in it to say that the local wildlife officer has to be informed ( most forces only have one per force area !!!)


the most important thing to remember is in UK if you have no permission to kill it , you can't and the reason for killing it...
Prevent serious damage to livestock, foodstuffs for livestock, crops, vegetables, fruit, growing timber, fisheries or inland waters, and   Prevent the spread of disease.

[Steph Hen]

I think you'd know if they were ravens. Crows or rooks are similar, but ravens are massive compared to both of these; I think you'd know they were different; twice the size of the others.

I've shot crows and rooks dead with an air riffle if they start getting too cocky with my hen's feed.

Corvid ID:
http://www.sasa.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Corvid%20Identification-final_0.pdf

[Still playing with tractors]

Picking up from Nicanddem's post please see links below.

http://www.gwct.org.uk/documents/scotland_larsen_use_guidelines_2013_1.pdf
http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/B981380.pdf