The local magpies are harrassing my hens, they are trying to get in the run to steal the food. Today the darn things nicked my egg from right under my nose :rant: I know they are classed as vermin and I can see why.. I am worried they are bothering the chuckies, how can I keep them away.. (I am not a good shot b.t.w) They only go near the run when the ladies are free ranging, and I do not want to have to keep them in the run all the time :(

Aparantly hanging cds keeps unwanted birds away, they don't like the shine. Don't know if this would work with magpies though!

Good luck!

the magpies would probably steal the CDs! just googled it and got this - http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf596053.tip.html

Well, it's war now. Earlier on a young magpie got its self stuck within the run trying to get to the layers pellets. It could not find the pop hole and was bashing into the mesh of the run, and the cat was jumping around on the top of the run all excited.
I decided to do the right thing and let it out(I had considerd dispatching of it), in the hope a close brush with a human may put them off comming into the garden. How wrong was I.
Bloody thing was a bit startled, so as I let it out it just flopped onto the grass and the cat jumped on it, three adult magpies started to attack me and the cat :o and all four of them flew onto next door garage roof AKAKAKing at us.
Anyway I have spent all night chasing them off the garden. They keep comming back and making loads of noise at us :mad:
It was just like a scene from 'The Birds'

The joy of being one with nature :lol:

Climb up the trees and eat their bloody eggs, see how they like it.

Maybe a remote water sprayer like thay use at side of fish ponds to scare of cats.
And no cds would not really bother them one bit only shiny thing they dont like is a bullet lol.

We also have a war going on, a blackbird has built in the apple tree and for the last 3 nights a maggie has been trying to steal the eggs. I send the dog out and it goes away but sadly not seen the blackbird today. So it may have got the eggs!

Afew years ago I was sunbathing in the garden when Basil cat brought home a baby maggie, it was alive but captive, suddenly we we bombarded by the parents, they were dive bombing me and the cat. I managed to get the baby off the cat and we escaped inside.. they are quite nasty but lovely to look at

The joy of being one with nature :lol:

Climb up the trees and eat their bloody eggs, see how they like it.

Your not kidding :hihi:
We must have really wazzed them off, they are pearching in the tree in next doors garden waiting for us to come out, when we do they sit on the fence akking .. :mad: may invest in a super soaker.