A Crow Is Liking Our Hens

[Meerkat]

This crow must have been excomunicated from the flock because he keeps hanging around our hens everyday for past couple weeks. They are free ranging now so he stays on outside and they chase it off.

It looks thirsty so we filled up bird bath with cool water. Guess because they are black stars he thinks they are crows?

 

[Terri9630]

He may have learned that chickens = feeder near by.

 

[Meerkat]

He may have learned that chickens = feeder near by.

No the feeder is inside the pen so far he just hangs with the pullets. I think he or she is lonely.

 

[Meerkat]

Maybe take a picture tomorrow if we can get it to pose.

 

[Meerkat]

The crow is still here walking around the pen when we put them up. Being half bumpkin and half city slicker I throw it some treats. Crows are very intelligent. It is very hot and steamy humid so its beak is open but don't think it is sick. It flies in to visit everyday. Chickens chase it off if it gets too close.But it comes right back.

 

[The Lazy L]

Crow has bad eye sight?

 

[Meerkat]

Crow has bad eye sight?

I don't know but it is persistent. I kinda feel sorry for it,they don't let it play with them. But it keeps comign back.

 

[Caribou]

Crows and ravens are both smart. I had ravens getting into my trash. I put a rat trap on top of the trash. When i came home the trap was tripped and I never had another problem. They got away that time but they knew it was a hazard that was better avoided.

 

[Meerkat]

Crows and ravens are both smart. I had ravens getting into my trash. I put a rat trap on top of the trash. When i came home the trap was tripped and I never had another problem. They got away that time but they knew it was a hazard that was better avoided.

Wonder if they are kin to the black bird? I know they too are very smart.

 

[Meerkat]

Will take a pic tomorrow of our new visitor.

 

[Meerkat]

Too busy ' discussing ' our van to take pics, but he is still here.

I took one but it is not close up. The crow started running when I went out to take picture.

We have 4 Black Stars one B Rock , One R.I.Red.

 

[Meerkat]

Crow is still hanging with the hens. He is on the fence. Hens run him off and he just comes right back.

Here it is next to one of the pens.

 

[Meerkat]

Crow is still here and just got pecked by White Wing who was the grunt and no longer has a white wing, now solid black . it has been hanging around now for a few months.
Sometimes is has another crow who hangs with it but not too often.

 

[Weedygarden]

Crows are smart birds, and there must be a level of protection for him there.

I have been coming home for a long time to a bengal cat on my front porch. It always runs away when it sees me. I have some cat food that my daughter's cat doesn't like so I put it out there along with some water. Cat food is disappearing, but I do have concerns that I may attract raccoons or other vermin in the process.

 

[Meerkat]

Crows are smart birds, and there must be a level of protection for him there.

I have been coming home for a long time to a bengal cat on my front porch. It always runs away when it sees me. I have some cat food that my daughter's cat doesn't like so I put it out there along with some water. Cat food is disappearing, but I do have concerns that I may attract raccoons or other vermin in the process.

Yes that can create a problem with the cat. Too bad you can't catch it and get it fixed. I know PAWS use to do that but i think they may have changed or been overcome with animals.

 

[Weedygarden]

Yes that can create a problem with the cat. Too bad you can't catch it and get it fixed. I know PAWS use to do that but i think they may have changed or been overcome with animals.

I would have to trap it. I am gone from home too much to do that. I would not want to trap it and then have it die from exposure or something.

 

[Meerkat]

I would have to trap it. I am gone from home too much to do that. I would not want to trap it and then have it die from exposure or something.

Oh yes that would not be good. They use to bring us trap pens or cages but don't think they still do that.

 

[Hooch]

I have a small weasel that has been hanging out on the homestead and at night in the coop. It is tiny, the size of a small farret like maybe a pound or two. Comparted to the size of my hens and rooster..not a threat.
Ive noticed..it has darn near eaten all the mice in the barn and the coop. I even hear it lope on top of my tin can every now and then at night..Ive found its "den" in the wood pile I have in the field beside the coop..and have solved the occasional missing eggs mystery here..
I'm totally ok with my occasional egg donation. The weasel has solved the problem my lazy fat cat will no longer take on...except on rare occasions when convienent..dang cat..

 

[Terri9630]

I have a small weasel that has been hanging out on the homestead and at night in the coop. It is tiny, the size of a small farret like maybe a pound or two. Comparted to the size of my hens and rooster..not a threat.
Ive noticed..it has darn near eaten all the mice in the barn and the coop. I even hear it lope on top of my tin can every now and then at night..Ive found its "den" in the wood pile I have in the field beside the coop..and have solved the occasional missing eggs mystery here..
I'm totally ok with my occasional egg donation. The weasel has solved the problem my lazy fat cat will no longer take on...except on rare occasions when convienent..dang cat..

Could it be a mink? I've seen videos of people using them to hunt rats.

 

[Hooch]

I love that video!!... my dog went to his first barn rat test hunt last year..won a ribbon not for time but for humor. He was the only pitt bull in the competition and he plowed through a straw bale to get to a rat while peeing on it at the same time...he is multitasked talented.
Unfortunetly he does not see the difference between rat and weasel..Mr. or Ms Weasel I have around her is the small short tailed American weasel or Ermine. It has already tested my dogs limitations and thankfully is smart enough to stay out of his turf when I'm not home to moderate.
I have found its poop in the barn, coop and mostly wood pile in addition to sightings occasionally..so I know it is still around. it looks like the brown version this guy had but smaller. I like the idea..maybe my next dog wont be so..gamy on small creatures and I can employ a team like this guy has...

Could it be a mink? I've seen videos of people using them to hunt rats.

 

[Meerkat]

I may throw out some scratch for it. Wish I knew if it was a male or female.

 

[Hooch]

I may throw out some scratch for it. Wish I knew if it was a male or female.

I really loved watching the ravens on the coast. They are so smart, they are very playful too. There was a cliff overlooking the rocks..not a real high cliff only about 30 feet or so. The way it was sloped up from the ocean created a perfect wind updraft that the raven pairs would gracefully play on. Often they would be just seeming to soar in place wing to wing..then one would flip over mid air and the other would catch its claws and they would hang on to eachother for a good 10 ish foot drop before they would let go and the inverted Raven would flip back over mid air. It was awesome to watch. All the pairs would do it. There were crows around but not as much as ravens. I'd watch the ravens all the time. I was so glad when I saw them out here.

 

[Weedygarden]

I really loved watching the ravens on the coast. They are so smart, they are very playful too. There was a cliff overlooking the rocks..not a real high cliff only about 30 feet or so. The way it was sloped up from the ocean created a perfect wind updraft that the raven pairs would gracefully play on. Often they would be just seeming to soar in place wing to wing..then one would flip over mid air and the other would catch its claws and they would hang on to each other for a good 10 ish foot drop before they would let go and the inverted Raven would flip back over mid air. It was awesome to watch. All the pairs would do it. There were crows around but not as much as ravens. I'd watch the ravens all the time. I was so glad when I saw them out here.

I love them, too! They are often used as a symbol for fall, but I see them other times of the year. Interestingly enough, on the first day of fall there was one flying around outside, all over the neighborhood, making his presence known. They are such interesting birds.

 

[Terri9630]

We have lots of ravens here and they are a pain.

 

[Hooch]

We have lots of ravens here and they are a pain.

Oh ...Ive witnessed how naughty they can be..very smart birdies and dumpster diving champs..

 

[Terri9630]

Oh ...Ive witnessed how naughty they can be..very smart birdies and dumpster diving champs..

We've had issues with them killing our rabbit litters and even 1 adult. They have also been a problem when the goats are kidding.

 

[Hooch]

oh that's no good...

We've had issues with them killing our rabbit litters and even 1 adult. They have also been a problem when the goats are kidding.

 

[Peanut]

Crow here have learned to bust chicken eggs open. I loosely hung up neon green fishing line around my nest boxes. Crows hate anything that can interfere with their wings and stay away.

 

[Meerkat]

Crow here have learned to bust chicken eggs open. I loosely hung up neon green fishing line around my nest boxes. Crows hate anything that can interfere with their wings and stay away.

We had a huge white owl who would dive bomb our Koi in our pond. We covered it with fishing wire, once he got caught in that wire he flew off and never came back again.

 

[Meerkat]

Our crow has been here now fro almost a year. he still hangs out alone around hens and bird bath.

Just started eating bird food we give to wild birds around bird bath. He hears me calling our hens ' Pretty Bird ' and today for first time he looked at me calling him or it Pretty Bird and didn't fly away.

He now comes to the bird bath with us on the porch so now up close to us.