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Author Topic: ravens-at end of tether  (Read 9042 times)

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
ravens-at end of tether
« on: May 28, 2017, 03:11:43 pm »
I have ravens stealing eggs from my hen house and raiding nests of broody ducks and my goose. The goose house is now netted-the goslings are due any day.


The ducks currently live in a large chicken coop-its not in an area conducive to penning. Its an old fashioned type coop with a pophole-so far I have put dog cages across it and covered them-made no difference and then I put a 3m cloche ( 45cm high and arranged it in an S shape) in front of it and thats made no difference either. The house is blacked out and no food is currently left outside-all the feeders are in the respective houses.


what with a badger ripping off the door to a hutch ( a really solid one) and killing my favourite duck and a nest of 20, 3 week incubated eggs I am pretty peed off. I am going to move some of the ducks to a pen out back.Anyone got any bright ideas please?

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2017, 10:54:28 am »
Have you any old CDs you can hang up in nearby tree branches?  They will flash in the slightest breeze and may deter them.  We also had some success tying a metal coathanger to the top of a broomstick and arranging old waterproofs, with the hood up over the top of the broomstick, so that it looked like someone leaning on the gate.  Whenever I went past, which was several times a day, I'd rearrange the sleeves or move the whole thing, so that they didn't become accustomed to it.

Charlie1234

  • Joined Feb 2017
  • Powys
5 Dogs,5 cats,40 chickens,2badger faced sheep + a full freezer

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2017, 12:01:27 pm »
What a horrible situation.  Your ravens fly over here but so far haven't landed on our ground.  Now they know you have eggs and young birds they won't be easily deterred. Ravens are so intelligent, and communicate the whereabouts of prey to each other. Watch the goslings as they're tiny when they hatch, and would make a quick meal for a raven. The parents are feisty but I don't know how they would do against a raven, or worse, two ravens.
Our Jack Russel hates big black birds and will chase any that land - but it doesn't stop them coming back.  I'm sorry I can't think of any cheap solution, except the illegal one.


Good luck with the goslings.  It looks as if only 2 of our 9 are female  ::)
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2017, 12:18:27 pm »
Best thing are larson traps, we bait with eggs and that gets the egg eaters.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #5 on: May 29, 2017, 06:19:50 pm »
Have you any old CDs you can hang up in nearby tree branches?  They will flash in the slightest breeze and may deter them.  We also had some success tying a metal coathanger to the top of a broomstick and arranging old waterproofs, with the hood up over the top of the broomstick, so that it looked like someone leaning on the gate.  Whenever I went past, which was several times a day, I'd rearrange the sleeves or move the whole thing, so that they didn't become accustomed to it.


I have tried the Ads but to no avail, I can try the coat hanger trick though!


lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #7 on: May 29, 2017, 06:28:01 pm »
What a horrible situation.  Your ravens fly over here but so far haven't landed on our ground.  Now they know you have eggs and young birds they won't be easily deterred. Ravens are so intelligent, and communicate the whereabouts of prey to each other. Watch the goslings as they're tiny when they hatch, and would make a quick meal for a raven. The parents are feisty but I don't know how they would do against a raven, or worse, two ravens.
Our Jack Russel hates big black birds and will chase any that land - but it doesn't stop them coming back.  I'm sorry I can't think of any cheap solution, except the illegal one.


Good luck with the goslings.  It looks as if only 2 of our 9 are female  ::)


yep, there's a big ravenry up at Tinto End. local farmers have been complaining about them for the last three years or so as numbers are very high. They lose lambs and one of my friends lost a calf to them.


Poor goose only has 4 eggs left :( you are right, despite their best intentions I don't think they are a match for pairs of ravens. They are now netted. Trouble with my place is there are only one or two places I can reliably net without it ending up on the Pentlands although I do routinely net ducklings and chicks-I generally move them when they are hatched.


 Shame about your hatch-will keep you posted on mine.


there was a segment on ravens taking lambs up north on Landward last week.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #8 on: May 29, 2017, 06:29:36 pm »
Best thing are larson traps, we bait with eggs and that gets the egg eaters.


my understanding is that ravens are protected.

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #9 on: May 29, 2017, 07:22:03 pm »
Best thing are larson traps, we bait with eggs and that gets the egg eaters.


my understanding is that ravens are protected.

Hmmm, not mentioned on the schedule 1 or 2 listings, i haven't seen any here (don't want to now), so haven't asked the gamekeeper. He has mentioned them, but not said they are protected. He deals with our crows etc.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #10 on: May 29, 2017, 07:38:10 pm »
http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/species-licensing/bird-licensing/preventing-damage/ravens/




you need to apply for a licence. the farm in Landward were long many lambs and they were granted a licence between 5 farms to cull just 50 birds. I am not a farmer-not even a smallholder really, I just breed some birds.


don't get me wrong, they are amazing birds and I used to love to see them-they're impressive to look at and very acrobatic.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #11 on: June 03, 2017, 10:23:52 am »
well various tapes and hanging up some overalls seems to be working for now although in the main they seem to have moved on anyway. the ducks I want to breed from are round the back penned and the geese have three goslings (two girls and a boy I think Fleecewife). there's another egg and she does seem to still be sitting so maybe one more.
« Last Edit: June 03, 2017, 04:07:56 pm by lord flynn »

Penninehillbilly

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • West Yorks
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2017, 11:40:40 am »
If they do come back I wonder if the old idea of hanging a dead crow would deter them?

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2017, 12:35:25 pm »
well various tapes and hanging up some overalls seems to be working for now although in the main they seem to have moved on anyway. the ducks I want to breed from are round the back penned and the geese have three goslings (two girls and a goy I think Fleecewife). there's another egg and she does seem to still be sitting so maybe one more.


That's lovely.  They do hatch over several days so maybe your last one will still hatch.  We had two duff eggs from 11 total.  The goslings eat masses and grow really rapidly.  We will have to eat at least some of ours ( [member=23029]lintmill[/member] has the proper equipment and has volunteered  :thumbsup:  to do the deed  :relief: We didn't intend to eat any but with so many males we will have to.  Unless they all fly away :roflanim: 
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

lord flynn

  • Joined Mar 2012
Re: ravens-at end of tether
« Reply #14 on: June 03, 2017, 03:07:34 pm »
 be good to pair up what we can thoughI have a great home for a pair lined up at least-not sure I have enough room for another pair but might be persuaded (they do give my ducks a hard time and have to separate them in spring). will keep you posted on the last egg-she's sitting quite tight so fingers crossed.

 

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