[Marches Farmer]

For those without the benefit of a shotgun or Larsen trap mustard eggs can work.  Blow a few eggs (you can use the innards to make cakes or scramble them) by twirling a skewer into each end - open the holes up a bit then prod the skewer around to break up the yolk, which makes it easier to blow the contents through.  Then get creative and half fill with a mixture of English mustard and whatever else you fancy - my preference is for extra hot chilli powder.  Only problem is that you have to make sure they get only mustard eggs for a while, so you need to keep the hens shut in or be very careful about collecting eggs.  These work for egg-eating hens too.

[lord flynn]

good tip MF except I am at work most days


I am in luck-dead fledgling crow in ponies' field, will endeavour to hang it u so we can't see it from the living room, if I still have a problem week after next, I'll be home and more able to take other measures.

[Stereo]

I've been staking them out and watching them doing it but I can't get close enough with the air rifle unless I build a semi permanent hide that they will get used to but it's all time. I'm seriously considering applying for a firearms certificate so I can get a .22LR with a silencer. We used to pop them up to 100 yards with Dad's old one and it was just a tap sound with sub-sonic ammo.

[Stereo]

By they way, anyone use rollaways? Do they still get the eggs? I'm looking at building these onto the current house but I think the rollaway area would need to be pretty deep or they'll just stick that long beak in there.

[Porterlauren]

Lost five duck eggs today, when I left them in a flower pot whilst I went to feed the pigs.

So tomorrow the gun comes out.

 

[Steph Hen]

Now they're after my new chicks. They are in the greenhouse with mum, (would have been in a run, but windy and bit cold here today.) crows sitting on fence, walking round it, peering in at them. I can only sit for about 20 mins before my feet ache, and it's windy, so not sure I would get a good shot, so no joy with the air rifle. Thinking some home made crow traps are on the menu for this afternoon.

[lord flynn]

I've been at home nursing a cold today-been watching the crows sitting around my pen all day. So tonight I got the dead fledgeling crow and hung it up in the willow tree as high as I could. Although there were no crows in sight when I hung it up, in less than a coupe of minutes there were literally 40-50 circling around the tree-taking it in turns to swoop in very close to the dead bird and two large groups formed in the cattle field, on the ground next door. When the last one swooped by close they then all took off and flew off towards the rookery down the road. Interesting behaviour to see-hope they've taken the hint!

[Stereo]

I've got a couple jackdaws hanging in my sussex and welsummer runs now and it seems to be having some effect. Unfortunately I haven't had a pop at the crows yet who are actually taking the eggs so jackdaws had to do.

[lord flynn]

well it works for the crows at least, bladdy starlings not so much! but no eggs stolen.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

I had a magpie hanging around the garden, for a few weeks now, and today I saw it trying to eat a hens egg.
When I shooed it away I found that it was trying to get the egg out of one of the slats in the floor. Hilarious really, because before I shooed it away I saw lots of straw being thrown into the air by its beak.

[Stereo]

We've got loads of magpies up in the field. I think they are the ones breaking the eggs in the nest boxes, where the crows are carrying them off. Just need to keep on picking up at the moment. Bit freaked out as one of the jackdaws I hung up has vanished. It was inside a 50m electric fence. All the hens are fine. So I guess a buzzard or other raptor took it.

Might try a larsen trap next.

[Couttsb]

It's been driving me mad too but a fellow smallholder gave me a fab tip which has worked and we've not lost any eggs since. Get a couple of eggs, use a pin or similar to make a hole to blow out most of the contents and inject/replace with mustard and then put back into the place where the crows pinch them from. I used Sellotape to try and stop the mustard leaking out but with hindsight will use super glue if I have to do it again! The crows fly away with the eggs and get a horrible shock - it's brill!

[Couttsb]

Whoops, just read Marches Farmer reply - at least that's 2 folk that says it works!

[northfifeduckling]

That worked for me when my chickens went through a naughty phase  .

[GSH]

Jesus H Christ......."lace them with rat poison".........heard it all now.  The only thing that would achieve is a knock on your door from the local plod.  Do not do that under any circumstances.  When the local Kite and Buzzard population starts to fall out of the trees having eaten a poisoned crow at least they will know where to come and look !!

GSH