Chickens and Magpies Not Coexisting

nodo on 05/09/2022 - 13:29
Last edited 05/09/2022 - 23:40 by 1 other user

Hello animal lovers,

I have a bunch of house chickens which freerange the backyard all day.

Recently, a couple of magpies have moved into the neighbourhood and are swooping the chickens regularly. The chickens now live in fear and for most of the day sit under the bushes rather than walk around the yard.

I've tried hanging cds where they swoop in but that hasn't worked.

Does anyone have a working solution to discourage the magpies from visiting. I've thought about using those wooden owls or eagles but haven't tried them.

Magpies are my favourite bird but this is stretching the friendship.

Any thoughts?

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  [Deactivated] on 05/09/2022 - 13:34

  +5

  make friends with them, feed them in an area away from your chickens. can't really discourage them from visiting unless you attack them, which i don't think is legal

  • 

    iDroid on 05/09/2022 - 18:49

    Best method.

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  vikvance on 05/09/2022 - 13:42

  +1

  I've thought about using those wooden owls or eagles but haven't tried them.

  Birds are too intelligent for fall for those. I tried using them to drive away pigeons that had become a nuisance on our apartment balcony. It takes them a couple of days max to work out that the owls aren't moving & so aren't any threat to them.

  I've seen videos where people were to able to successfully scare birds using recordings of birds of prey calls, like this one:
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IyZLTIcy5U

  Of course, this might also scare your chickens, so could be difficult to use in your situation.

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  Transient on 05/09/2022 - 13:55

  +3

  We have chickens in the backyard. Family of magpies moved in a few houses down. They don't swoop us. They just sit on a tree or fence and sing - even the young ones. Chickens do their machine gun staccato warning call but that's because the magpies were new and chickens are chicken. I just stand between the chickens and magpies and we observe each other for a few minutes before they fly off. We tried feeding the magpies and acting friendly so they were pretty friendly back. That was last year and I think they've moved on or were chased away by the noisy miners. Hardly see them now but can hear them sing from time to time. Maybe a small tarp or awning about shoulder height will give the chickens some shelter and reassurance from being swooped. We have a large evergreen tree about 7m across but not very tall that serves this purpose - also gives the chickens shade in the summer.

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  nige0090 on 05/09/2022 - 14:18

  +1

  A few years ago we were plagued with noisy crows very early in the morning.
  I hung this, such that it would move in the breeze, and it the crows disappeared
  https://www.bunnings.com.au/whites-450mm-pest-control-wide-h…
  It could have been a coincidence, but $15

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  BewareOfThe Dog on 05/09/2022 - 15:49

  You could try putting a large net up, until the season passes. They are cheaper on Ebay than Bunnings.

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  GordonD on 05/09/2022 - 16:04

  +2

  Magpies attack chickens because they are chicken. Because when they are attacked they run rather than stand and fight. Magpies are territorial, they live off what the bit of territory they have defend from other magpies families can provide, so all other birds are competitors for food. They'll try to chase anything away. If they can chase it into the air they chase it and bite anything vulnerable. But if it stands and fights they won't risk injury, they tolerate it.

  You can't make the chickens brave enough to stand up to the magpies. So you've got a limited number of choices. Protect the chickens from the magpies. Chase the magpies off. Or feed the magpies so they are well fed enough that they don't think they need to chase the chickens out out of their territory.

  • 

    BewareOfThe Dog on 05/09/2022 - 17:19

    +2

    Would having a Rooster help?

    • 

      iDroid on 05/09/2022 - 18:51

      +1

      It may.

      But have you lived with a rooster?

      Expect a lot of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SXjOqCIMuA

      Not to mention the ridiculous amount of crowing they do ALL DAMN DAY.

      You will not forget you have a rooster.

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  nodo on 05/09/2022 - 17:15

  +2

  thanks everyone, good info