I have just found a bloody big rook in my chickens run

[FioFio]

There are four rooks altogether, HUGE things, flying around my garden taking a massive interest in either my chickens or their food. The one that had got into the run (door open) was eating their layers pellets why???

do they pose a threat the chickens? They didn't seem that bothered tbh but I have had to lock them up just incase until i have your expert views!

No sign of mice or rats btw

Not sure why, they declined to answer when I asked, but when I lived on a ranch in Oz and was in charge of the chickens there was always at least one in the pen every time I went to see to them. They never harmed the chickens once in the entire month I was there, though they had plenty of opportunity to, so assume they were after the feed. All you have to hope now is that UK Rooks are no more murderous than the Ozzy ones!

lol:o lets hope so then! The chickens don't seem bothered by them but Rooks are SO big arent they? and why on earth are they so keen on the pellets?

Mind you the robin seems to like them as well

I am not so bothered about my one chicken because she is very bolshy and even scares the dog off but the other one is very docile and doesn't seem to notice anything!

well if chickens like 'em why wouldn't a Rook? easy food I would have thought, maybe it saves waiting for it to rain so the worms come out.

I think layers pellets are like animal Krispy Kremes. My spanielly type dog eats them by the bucket gitven half a chance the greedy sod

:o at the animal Krispy Kremes! I haven't caught my dog eating them yet.....

I suppose it is easy food, I hadn't thought of that

I accidentally locked one of the robins in the shed with the pellets as I hadn't realised she had followed me in. She was not happy!

My dog eats my fish food when my toddler son does a poor job at throwing it in and gets it on the lawn instead, he has taken to hovering nearby when we feed the fish! Arf!

Still at least you will know what feed to use if you ever get a pet Rook - I would be as I have always wanted one of those.

incidentally... how did you know the robin was angry with you?

dogs will eat anything wont they?

the robin flapped at me and then followed me around giving me dirty looks

Fio - do you have any chicks or a broody hen at the mo? Rooks will take chicks if they can (speaking from experiance having lost 7 this year already )

Also they will take eggs if they can get to them - dh left a full tray of 30 eggs by our back door while I did the school run and by the time I got back they had taken all but 4

no, there are no chicks and I don't have a cockerel but there may have been eggs in the box as I only emptied it later

sorry about your chicks, what a shame:(

We only have one solitary chick left with mum now and they are living in an old rabbit hutch cos I daren't let them out in case the rooks pick the last chick up.

I do remember seeing 2 rooks playing tug-o-war with a baby bird a few years ago - it was horrible made dh go and shoot them

Rooks and crows take our eggs. we see them do it. it is like a daily battle opening the front pop hole and then running round the back of the large hen house collecting them before the rooks and crows get in.

Why wouldn't rooks eat layers' pellets? Good, balenced food for egg-laying birds. Rooks = egg-laying birds.

Wild birds can spread diseases to your chooks so it's best to keep them away from their food and water if possible.

I had the opposite problem - usually very friendly chickens had cornered the rook and were pecking it and tossing it up in the air! Not a pretty sight. Our run is covered with netting so the rook had managed to get in but couldn't get out. I didn't realise chickens could be so aggressive! Quickly improved the netting cover after that episode!