bim Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 HELP - does anyone else have this problem, and if so, what can be done to prevent it? We have an eglu placed inside a big run, which is not covered. Yesterday one of the eggs in the nest was broken on top and it looked as though it had been pecked by a bird - I thought it might be one of our chickens. I removed it. Then today I saw a magpie in the garden with half a broken egg shell in its mouth. I fear that magpies are getting into the nesting box to eat the eggs. I don't want to keep the three chickens shut inside the eglu run whilst they lay their eggs, because this can happen at any time of day, and they are used to being out and about. Any ideas??? Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Well, I hate magpies, they used to attack our rabbit and guinea pigs. The guinea pigs were so stupid, bless them...they used to stand inside their run by the wire mesh whilst the magpie went to attack them in the eye...until I came along. It was quite a problem for a couple of days and then the magpie got the message. Shoot it, kill it....scarecrow it on a more sensible basis. I did spend a couple of days chasing the thing out of the garden, but luckily I was at home and didn't put the animals out if I wasn't in. I'd keep your girls locked up for a bit until the blinking thing has got the message and there is no more food for it. Treat it as if it were a fox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bim Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Thanks for that Maggie. Unfortunately we have masses of magpies - they love our garden. Perhaps I'll try keeping the chooks shut in their little run for a bit longer in the morning and hopefully they will get on and lay their eggs quickly. Jane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Is putting netting over the run a possibility Bird scarers can be quite useful. We put masses of strips of kitchen foil around the run & even tied balloons with eyes around the run too. Hilarious. Can't really say anything worked for long though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Just remembered, we put up dvds to act as a decoy and this worked. We put them away from the rabbit and guinea pigs and the magpies were attracted to the dvds instead. (It is true, magpies love silver sparkly things.) Good luck, Clucker1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
