Can magpies hurt chickens?

[AmusingMichelle]

Hello!

I am in Brisbane, Australia, and the magpies are swooping and attacking my chickens. I've only seen this behaviour in Spring before when they are nesting (it's Autumn now). It seems the magpies are not happy that my chickens get to roam the back yard. My dog is a good guard dog and runs around like crazy chasing and barking at the magpies, but they keep swooping. The chickens get a fright and run back into their coop when it happens. I'm worried they might get hurt if it happens when the dog and I aren't in the back yard with them. My chickens are 13 weeks old - 2 x Light Sussex and 2 x Black Australorp hybrids.

Do magpies hurt chickens, or do they just try to scare them? Any ideas on why they would be swooping?

Thanks for any words of advice you can offer!

Michelle.

 

[logan394]

they can and also they must be getting quite stressed I guess they will get more and more used to it

 

[Hollywoodandme]

Yes they can but its rare in adult chickens, one of our splash brahma chicks was attacked in the evening by a crow causing the chick to break its leg and wounds to his head we dint think it would survive the night however he did and now lives quite happily although with a permenant limp. I think at 13 weeks old the magpies are extremely unlikely to try an actual attack, I wish you and your chickens the best

 

[AmusingMichelle]

Thanks for the advice! I heard a chicken "scream" in alarm yesterday and ran outside to find the magpies swooping again, but the chickens were unhurt (although huddling next to the coop).

 

[nzpouter]

Shoot them and let the next family move in.... not all magpies attack chooks, and they're handy for keeping hawks away.

 

[sweetbeak]

I have lots of magpies where I live and they just swoop, don't hurt the birds

 

[gander007]

Oh yes a Magpie can hurt chickens

 

[Percheron chick]

They steal eggs too.

 

[ashbev]

I actually lost one of our hens today, i live in Brisbane also. We have magpies at our house all year round and we hand feed them. Our hens are only 6 months old and we haven't had them through a magpie nesting season. But obviously the magpies have become territorial towards them and I ran out today to see a magpie attacking our hen and the poor thing died of shock.

My question is... Is there anything we can do to keep the magpies away?!? Fake prey birds or anything?!?

 

[theoldchick]

Cover your run with wire and keep them in it.

Sorry for your loss.