Magpies

elfael · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 7:18 am

This morning I heard a horrible noise coming from outside my window, and when I went to investigate I found a pair of magpies chasing my silkies (it was the silkies making the noise). Now I'm worried - have magpies been known to kill poultry? They were working together and seemed intent on cornering one of my birds. All of my poultry are bigger than the magpies but that didn't seem to deter them.

debbieo4914 · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 7:29 am

I have seen my chooks diving for cover when there are magpies around but haven't actually seen a magpie attack them. I would hope a fully grown chook might be able to bluff its way out of being eaten, but I imagine small chicks would be an attractive meal for them.

Deb :-D

greenaus · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 1:17 pm

I wouldn't trust any football players near my chooks.

Magpies. Crows. Dragons.

Egglive · **Joined:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:58 am **Posts:** 267

Maggies are usually after the food. They might have been chasing them away from something good to eat. Maggies are incredibly forward, although don't seem as bad as crows.

Lorelei · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 10:50 pm

I too have a problem with wild birds - as I am sure many of you have. Magpies as greenaus suggests are usually after food in my case. Likewise doves are in for a free feed and water (and they are usually the worst apparently for carrying in disease - so beware!). However, without doubt it is crows you need to watch for. In fact just today, one crow actually got (and killed) one of my new baby chicks (around 8 weeks old). I thought they would be safe enough now for a bit free ranging and one of those horrid birds killed the smallest one (my favourite too). :cry:

greenaus · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 2:31 am

Lorelei,

Your story is one I am hearing quite regularly. We think our chicks are big enough to fend for themselves and are proven wrong.

It's scary as 7 of my chicks about that age free-range 24/7 and we have crows in the area.

Last week I woke up almost every morning to crows in the trees. Don't recall them this week. Maybe they don't like the cold and have flown north for the Winter.

To date, we've had no losses, but I'm not so stupid to think it'll never happen.

Egglive · **Joined:** Fri Dec 14, 2007 10:58 am **Posts:** 267

Crows used to take our baby ducklings years ago, until we hung a couple of dead crows in the trees in the pens. Seemed to help. They are very aggressive carnivores and will attack if they think the chick is helpless. Best to cover the pens if younger birds are in there. Never had it happen with a maggie though, they are just terrible pinchers of food. They will take eggs if they can.

elfael · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 7:18 am

I'll keep an eye on the magpies but I feel a bit better about them after all your comments.

The only predators we seem to have locally are cats, hawks and snakes (the reason for the mouse wire over the brooder box). I haven't seen any crows around here, though a flock of black cockies made me look twice last week. Also no foxes up here. So long as the dingoes and wild dogs stay away, we're fine!

danny boy · **Posted:** Wed May 07, 2008 10:11 am

Hi all.
Interesting topic here, I have pet maggies around my house that we feed and have never had any major dramas with them going for poultry, although a guinea fowl & a magpie had a good scrap for about half an hour one day. ( the guinea won), maggies would go for little chicks but this would be rare, hawks, crows & snakes are the big enemies, as well as dogs.

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