Magpies, need info

kowloon

Had 10 new ducklings hatch yesterday and the count about an hour ago was 7. I'm thinking it was magpies, could a magpie cleanly snatch a duckling?
What is the best magpie detterent? I can't shoot near the pen.

(I know this isn't really the proper forum, but people with magpie trouble are more likely to e here than in the pets forum)

foxshooter243

kowloon wrote: »

Had 10 new ducklings hatch yesterday and the count about an hour ago was 7. I'm thinking it was magpies, could a magpie cleanly snatch a duckling?
What is the best magpie detterent? I can't shoot near the pen.

(I know this isn't really the proper forum, but people with magpie trouble are more likely to e here than in the pets forum)

yeah a magpies capable of that alright, they have been recorded killing frogs ,lizards, snakes [ not in ireland:D],bats mice ,voles , birds and even rabbits, so your ducklings are a not a problem , why cant you use an air rifle, or even find the nest and wipe it out-that would at least curb their need for lots of grub, cos your ducklings are feeding their young probably.
desperate times call for desperate measures:eek:

cavan shooter

set up a larsen trap.

Invincible

kowloon wrote: »

Had 10 new ducklings hatch yesterday and the count about an hour ago was 7. I'm thinking it was magpies, could a magpie cleanly snatch a duckling?
What is the best magpie detterent? I can't shoot near the pen.

(I know this isn't really the proper forum, but people with magpie trouble are more likely to e here than in the pets forum)

I'm sure they'd manage day old ducklings,as I saw a Magpie taking a good sized blackbird chick the other day,had'nt gun with me,ran up the road towards the mag and the few blackbirds that were defending the chick,the mag picked up the chick and flew onto a fencing stake before flying into the forestry,I went over to the stake to find the chick on it,dead,holes pecked in his back.
As the previos poster said,a larsen trap will take care of them,if you can't locate the nest.I think this is the "proper" forum.

kowloon

I've put them in their nestbox for the time being, might try to bait them away from the pen. How effective are the larsen traps?

Invincible

The Larsen trap was designed in the 1950's by a Danish gamekeeper.It is the most efficeint method of reducing magpie and grey crows and will be relied more upon now that we have restrictions on the use of poisioned bait.

If you're intrested in making a Larsen trap,cavanshooter has links to plans in his post (no. 27) in thread "Homemade Larsen Traps" or you could get them in the NARGC publication, "Preadator Control Handbook".

jwshooter

seen a magpie holding down a pigeon squad and trying to kill it .we ran it away ,the pigeon was near dead the back of its head picked away ,ducklings would be wright up there street shot one out the bathroom window with the 243 this morning at half six ,girlfriend was mad but not as upset as the magpie

kowloon

Cheers everyone, Will see if I can put together a trap tommorrow, will also pop down to farm supplies and pick up some silage netting to put across the pen to stop them getting in.

Vegeta

let us know how you get on

KRICO.22

Are you sure its Magpies it could be Grey crows. Iv Had a bit of trouble with them in the past but the Larsen trap sorted them out. I used a some dead ducklings in the larsen and cougt 5 in 2 days. Larsen Trap best investment for the job.

Ive been trying a Ladder Trap in another place where i hunt but have had no luck with it. Ive been using Rabbit as bate but im not sure if my entry holes are to small of what.

Has anyone had experiance with Ladder traps i would apreciate any info?

mallards

I converted a partridge release pen into a letterbox trap. Is the space too wide, are they getting out again? I baited mine with some wheat as I knew the crows were hitting my pheasant feeders for it. When I got a couple I culled all but one and used it like a big larsen trap. I baited with rabbit and I was cleaning up the crows! Only trouble was I'm not on my ground every day so had to close the trap unless I could check it every day. The crows have a habit of killing each other even if left only 24hrs!

Mallards

bunny shooter

mallards wrote: »

........The crows have a habit of killing each other even if left only 24hrs!

Mallards

That's not on. Spoils our fun killing 'em instead

kowloon

The hen and the 6 remaining ducklings are now in a shed where I'll leave them until they've grown a bit.
First time I've ever had this trouble, I have another batch of 8 ducklings in another pen who had no trouble, they're adult sized now so they aren't at risk.
Will likely have more hatches during the summer so I'll have the trap laid out beforehand.
Have grey crows in the area too, so it could be them too.

bunny shooter

Fair dues to ya