[Roughlee Handled]

I on my recent trips to see the girls I have found a magpie eating the feed.

The feeder is the one above.  Any tips of how to scare them away and keep them away.  
The missus was most offended to find a photo her face on a large board next to the feeder.

[Kate and her Ducks]

Shoot them! Only joking, I don't have a gun (but I might if I did). I currently have the same problem although the cats help. Been thinking of a scarecrow or at least an old shirt on the washing line that I can move about to keep them guessing a little. I hate them, trust me, eating a little feed is small fry - they killed two of my ducklingd this spring :cry:

[Vember]

Shoot them!

Funny that was my first thought Kate  

[daz]

Shoot them!

Funny that was my first thought Kate  

well thats what im gona do cause they are being a pest in my garden at the moment to

[Roughlee Handled]

Had thought of that.  But don't want to put holes in my feeder or one of my girls.  Is there no other way?

[daz]

Had thought of that.  But don't want to put holes in my feeder or one of my girls.  Is there no other way?

if your not a very good shot just go for a body shot it probably wont kill it but it certainly wont fly away and then you can kill with the next shot
not the most humane way but effective
or just keep practising till your a confident shot

[Roughlee Handled]

Would a 22 air rifle be good enough to kill a magpie?

[Kate and her Ducks]

Hmmm. I may have mentioned my magpie hatred a couple of times...
Understand your hesitency regarding shooting them. Even if I had a gun couldn't do it. Not due to any sensibilities but as I live in a semi in Liverpool and not that keen on getting arrested.
You could try a scarecrow, its what they were designed for. Apparently you can also string up old CDs, not that Iv'e tried it and not sure how it would work with magpies and their attraction for shiny things.

[Roughlee Handled]

A scare crow/magpie mmm.  I will try it or maybe i will become a rambo in roughlee?   Or may be train the girls to use a gun.. This could lead to problems when egg collecting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[daz]

Hmmm. I may have mentioned my magpie hatred a couple of times...
Understand your hesitency regarding shooting them. Even if I had a gun couldn't do it. Not due to any sensibilities but as I live in a semi in Liverpool and not that keen on getting arrested.
You could try a scarecrow, its what they were designed for. Apparently you can also string up old CDs, not that Iv'e tried it and not sure how it would work with magpies and their attraction for shiny things.

i doubt you would get any problems with using it in your garden as i had to call the police cause there were some people using shot guns to hunt rabbits (which to me is like using a nuke) no more than a few feet from my garden where my kids were and the police said there was nothing they can do as its private property and said anyone can use a shot gun in their garden as long as they dont point it towards anyone
sound stupid to anyone else?

also i just found a dead chick in my garden due no doubt to the magpies

[Kate and her Ducks]

I generally don't consider animals evil but I will make an exception for magpies!!! Its the way they will go down a hedgerow and take the heads off all the fledgling blackbirds etc. They don't eat them, they are not competion for food or territory or mates, seems to be just because they can. As I said, evil b*****d birds (oh, if I haven't mentioned they also killed my ducklings :cry:  :evil:  :cry: )

[Foxy]

hi P&RH, you could keep the feed in the coop if you have room or you could use whats called a "treddle feeder" this is basically a feeder which the chicken has to stand on and their weight  releases a few pellets. Good for outside feeders, dont know if they would work against magpies -they are quite light birds though
Have a look on this website they have some treddle feeders


http://www.chicken-house.co.uk/poultry_feeders.htm

[woodburner]

I've picked up some bits of gun law over the last few months, as I have lots of magpies, and I have chicks. Touch wood I haven't had any casualties yet, but I'm out like a shot for any kind of alarm, by hens or blackbirds.

Anyway, with a proper gun rather than an airrifle, it's ok to shoot towards the ground, i.e from an upstairs window, but if you are at ground level, you must be more than so many yards (a specified large number that I can't remember offhand) from the boundary.

If you are having trouble with neighbours, try the EHO rather than the police. (The same people who might have called on you if you have neighbours complaining about a cockerel. )

[treacleminer]

Reading this straight after reading the one about grass snakes, vaguely remembered the EU protecting Maggies.  However pleased to find the following on the RSPB site

"Magpies are fully protected by the European Union Birds Directive. The UK Government has derogated (made an exception) from the Directive in relation to control of magpies. Under annual general licence issued under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (for which it is not necessary to apply individually), magpies may be killed or taken by authorised persons, using permitted methods, for the purposes of:
preventing serious damage to agricultural crops or livestock
preserving public health/air safety
conserving wild birds.
An authorised person is a landowner or occupier, or someone acting with the landowner's or occupier's permission."

At least the governments got something right!!
My Dad was able to kill Magpies with airguns but you do need to be quite close which is difficult.
Roughlee handled - try putting the feeder on bricks so the chickens can reach but the magpies aren't tall enough?

[kimT]

I've just bought a water pistol that shoots about 25/30 feet so I have great pleasure firing it at the magpies.....................haven't seen one in days in the garden :twisted:  :twisted: