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[kinsk]

I posted yesterday about using mustard eggs to stop egg pecking/eating, but today we have realised it's not our hens doing the damage it's a magpie

 

MrK is laying in wait with his air rifle but it seems like they have already worked out we are onto them! Obviously we can't be permanently laying in wait. Any ideas what we can do? We've lost 7 eggs since Wednesday

[sparkysmum]

What type of hen house do you have We used to lose eggs to crows with our wooden ark but have had no problems with either the eglu or cube. Perhaps you could use a rollaway nesting box. Hen lays egg, then it rolls away out of sight

[Luvachicken]

Naughty magpie, hope you get it sorted soon.

[kinsk]

It's a big wooded hen house

 

Haven't worked out how to post pictures that aren't virtually life size but it's here http://myyearbyfood.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/men-at-work.html

 

Have a few more mustard eggs left so have put them in this morning but am going to be out working most of today so can't keep an eye on things. The hens tend to use the first two nesting boxes so we have blocked these off so the eggs are further away from the door. Other than that I think adapting the nesting boxes so the eggs roll away is the only option.

[jackian]

I don't know the answer to magpies but love your hen house .

Jackie x

[kinsk]

it's just had another one, left the mustard eggs alone and gone for a freshly laid one as I was walking back in with the broken shell I'm sure I heard it skwarking with laughter

[Cheeky Chooky]

Little so and so's Love your hen house too...your OH should go into production!

[kinsk]

Love your hen house too...your OH should go into production!

 

thank you, he does have his uses

 

Little bits got 4 out of 5 eggs today

 

Has anyone ever used the plastic roll away nesting tray jobbies? This really is war we don't have hens to provide the maggies with a free and easy feast. Probably doesn't help that we have some really vocal hens when they are laying, it's must be like the dinner bell being rung

[sparkysmum]

I think both ANH & Egluntyne have used rollaway nest boxes. Good cluck Alli x

[LolaLayla]

This is happening to our girls eggs now . A few days ago I found an eggshell in the garden and blamed the girls but I soon realised it was the magpie. Initially I thought one of them has laid the egg outside but yesterday found a pecked egg in the eglu nest box. The magpie is very brave as it has to walk up the run and into the eglu to eat the egg. I am at a bit of a loss as to what to do other then keep watch. I have tied a CD on a piece of twine at the entrance to the run in the hope it may deter it. Estelle was confused by it yesterday which wasn't the desired effect My other concern is that the magpie may be attracted to the CD as it is shiny but maybe the movement will put it off Any other ideas

[Ain't Nobody Here]

This is what I bought to deter egg eating (by my girls, not magpies!). It was tricky to fit into an eglu (I had to attach it to a brick so it would sit in the nestbox and not topple over) but the egg eating certainly stopped. It's so cheap it's worth a try. Edited May 29, 2012 by Guest

[LolaLayla]

ANH - Thanks for this. I thought the roll away boxes were all very big (and expensive) but I could certain fit that in I will need to get round to buying it and sorting out Trixie's broodiness, but we are still in the middle of exams - roll on Thursday.

[Duncan08]

That is a fabulous Hen House

Well done to your husband, hope the rollaway sorts out the Magpies.

[WitchHazel]

We had this probem on our allotment, where we have wooden housing. We put a row of lightweight chains over the pop hole, and that has acted as a deterrent. The hens don't mind going through the chain curtain, but the magpies do.

[LolaLayla]

That's a good idea too. I have not seen the magpie today but the girls have been around the eglu more which has probably put it off. When it was very hot they were out of sight round the back of the summer house under the ivy on the wall. Which probably gave it the opportunity to nip in

[kinsk]

We tried the chain curtains but it didn't deter the magpies one bit. We have now put netting over the top of the run so the magpies can't get in. It's amazing how much longer the food is lasting too without the crows helping themselves!

 

Good luck with the roll away nest boxes.

[Alis girls]

i also purchased 2 rollaway nest boxes - however the hens have renamed them "lets kick em out of the way nestboxes" - bloody things end up in the run - I have given up

[LolaLayla]

Have had more magpie trouble so when I gave the eglus a clean out today OH fixed up the roll away nest box that ANH recommended. Keeping fingers crossed that this will stop the problem.