Pests or interesting neighbors?

Blue Sky

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I seem to have acquired a pair of crows this year. They regularly patrol the backyard after scoring some stray dog kibble (which we try to keep picked up). Other than startling the guineas-and what doesn't, they don't seem to hurt anything. Should I discourage them?
 

babsbag

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I personally wouldn't. I would enjoy their antics, crows are fun. But I guess if you raise chickens they could potentially carry disease and possibly take very young chicks, but then so do other birds.
 

Latestarter

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When I was a kid, a neighbor kid befriended a crow. That crow would follow us when we were outside and come right down for pats and such. One Sunday morning it followed us as we walked to church about a 1/4 mile down the road. It saw us enter the church and followed us in... just flew right through the front doors and caused all sorts of commotion. The congregation was completely aghast! Anyway, we had to leave church and the crow followed us out. We didn't get in any trouble but I hadn't remembered it till your post. For the most part I have no issues with crows as they chase away hawks. But they will take and eat chicks if they can get them, and if they get too friendly, you'll want to keep shiny objects under lock and key. The crow from my childhood had a stash of stolen goods up in one corner of my neighbor's gutter. I wouldn't begrudge them a little kibble now and then... Better them than mice and rats.
 

Baymule

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Crows pulled up every sprouting corn plant I had. They ate the kernel off and left the plant to die. I had to replant, place heavy wire hoops over the rows and cover with bird netting.
 

Southern by choice

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Years ago before the LGD's hawks would take about 3 birds a week. We bought a crow call. Once the crows came in they really fought off the hawks.
Skip forward to LGD's entrance... for the most part they didn't have too many issues with crows. Not sure how the dogs could tell but they could and left them be for the most part... Except the Toli's.:\

UNTIL... :rolleyes:
10 little TOLI-pyr pups :lol:

Yes, the "Toli" in them hates crows.

"Blue" our keeper pup HATES crows... buzzards.... hawks.... any flying thing in his field. He even hates chickens in his field. :rolleyes:
The chickens "MUST" in his mind stay "over there" and NOT in his goat field.

With crows the hawk issue is pretty much not one. The crows come into the non-lgd fields/yard.

I think crows are kinda cool... there again I'm not planting crops.
 

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