I scatter some scratch feed for the chickens twice a day - morning chores and evening chores. I use a Wild Bird Mix for scratch feed, sunflowers, cracked corn, oats, millet and various other seeds. Double benefit, what the chickens don't eat (they don't appear to care for millet) the mourning doves and various tweety birds hoover up.

Last week, at least once a day, I'd spot a grey squirrel in there getting his share. I was gonna give him a pass, but he started going in the coop and chowing down on the layer pellets...not to mention making a mess while he was at it. Sorry, Rocket J., that's over the line.

So, I staged my pellet pistol in the feed shed figuring I'd pop his fuzzy butt.

Haven't seen the furry little bastige since. Whatever works, I guess.

Crows do that, too.

They just "know".

They know where you store your nuts. That's disturbing.

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
Crows do that, too.

They just "know".

DISCLAIMER - I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST CROWS AND HAVE NEVER SHOT ONE

However, as an experiment to test their visual acuity/intelligence, I once conducted a test consisting of three scenarios:

1. Walk out the back door, spot a crow in the field about 50 yards away, raise my arms like I'm aiming a rifle - crow ignores me.

2. Same deal, but this time holding a broomstick like a rifle - crow ignores me.

3. Same deal again, but this time holding real rifle. Crow hauls ass.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
They know where you store your nuts. That's disturbing.

Isn't it? I might need to rethink wearing shorts while feeding the chickens.

Don’t know about squirrels and crows, but feral hogs sure seem to have that ability.

Crows also know the difference between rifle and shotgun distances. Damn smart they are!

MYbe they can read minds but they sure as heck can’t make decisions. They never seem to decide which way to run to avoid a car running them over.

Crows also know how to avoid being hit by cars despite eating more roadkill than any other scavenger. They literally wait until the least possible second to fly away with no panic.

Of course, they do have an early warning communication system. Cah, Cah, Cah....

Old and cheezy - I know.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

quote:

Originally posted by RichardC:
Crows do that, too.

They just "know".

DISCLAIMER - I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST CROWS AND HAVE NEVER SHOT ONE

However, as an experiment to test their visual acuity/intelligence, I once conducted a test consisting of three scenarios:

1. Walk out the back door, spot a crow in the field about 50 yards away, raise my arms like I'm aiming a rifle - crow ignores me.

2. Same deal, but this time holding a broomstick like a rifle - crow ignores me.

3. Same deal again, but this time holding real rifle. Crow hauls ass.

My neighbor ran this same test with wild peacocks in our neighborhood. Same result. Peacocks, by the way, suck. The are loud, will chase horses off their feed, and shit everywhere.

Peacocks are very, very loud. I would not want to have any.

Squirrels = funny tree rats.

Crows are pretty cool. Every once in awhile we get a murder of them in the cypress trees behind my house. Don't know why; they just hang out for an hour or so then move on. My little mutt likes to "chase" them and the crows just laugh at her.

I'll add chipmunks to the list of 'psychic animals.'

Back in high school, a buddy and I went squirrel hunting. Did not see a single squirrel, but there were chipmunks everywhere 'barking' at us. I guess they scared away all the squirrels.

At the end of our hunt, as we started walking back, we decided to murder us some chipmunks. Did not see a SINGLE chipmunk from there on. . .

Those little heathens knew we had homicidal intent, whereas on the walk in they blatantly mocked us.

quote:

Originally posted by ArtieS:

My neighbor ran this same test with wild peacocks in our neighborhood. Same result. Peacocks, by the way, suck. The are loud, will chase horses off their feed, and shit everywhere.

We had a peacock problem for a short while. They don't understand hoses and really don't like showers.

Most critters have some sort of warning system or instinct that alerts them to any danger. Had eight Canadian Geese feeding in the yard last night. One always stayed alert while the others fed. They would rotate guard duty making sure everyone got a chance to properly graze. Crows do this all the time as well. Squirrels just seem to operate on instinct. I shot a red one the other day with the air rifle. I had about three others in the neighborhood but I haven’t seen the others since. I’m a live and let live guy but the red squirrels were getting into the pole barn where I park equipment. They love chewing up wiring in a boat or riding mower or anything else. They gotta go.

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:

Of course, they do have an early warning communication system. Cah, Cah, Cah....

Old and cheezy - I know.

My wife and I beat that to death. We walk most days and the roads here don't have shoulders to speak of, much less sidewalks, so we're always on the alert for traffic.

Plus, my wife is prone to investigating anything shiny...

I hate squirrels!

100% agree with squirrels and crows knowing when you are planning to whack them.

I use to thin the herd of squirrels in my backyard routinely until my daughter asked me to stop.

Now instead of running from me they basically stand around laughing.