Crow invasion

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
Rooks were controlled because of the huge amount of damage they can do corn crops both at drilling harvest.
Todays methods mean that damage at drilling is rare due to corn being drilled at regular depth, not just scattered and harrowed in. Crops do not go flat at harvest today, and that is where the rooks can do so much damage often large flocks can ruin acres , for a small farmer 100 years ago they could easily lose 20% or moreof their crop in a few days.
The failure to control crows has little Influence on the game that keepers worried so much about of old. Todays men are just employed to feed and keep the small or large flock of bought in birds till the shoot. This is very sad as so many other wild birds and mammals benefited from this crow control. From hares to skylarks, lapwings, oystercatchers, curlews and many many others are suffering greviouslythanks to these birds
 
Location
Suffolk
Written by someone who has spent a lifetime killing things for fun, no doubt often paying for the privilege regularly and even kept a diary of his tally. Now claims to have seen the light and preaches to those that carrying out pest control.
Worse than those ex smokers ranting.
No paid to kill, kill, kill.
X2 Keepers couldn't cope and left on the expectations FYI. Killing 'aint fun you know.
I would tell a little story here but you'd never get the emotion of the moment, only the man with the gun would get it and he broke a year later.
SS
 
Location
Suffolk
You can call me a knob all you like @neilo I'm not that bothered. If you keep sheep well then I doff my hat to you. You could possibly be an exception.
There was a post on this forum recently on disposing of fleece as there was no market.
There is a huge market for 'proper' compost; Wool and the scourge of hill farming ......bracken. Mix these together and you have a gold mine.
@Kidds Hey get on track. I have 40 years of experience of killing and have noticed it makes no difference at all. Simples.
SS
I think we may soon discover why our ancestors controlled such things, if we aren't already. It needs a lot more facts being exposed on social media -- if it's not removed by the administrators as likely to shock and upset the average viewer.

It always amuses me to read of the housewife who can watch those dear little fox cubs playing from her kitchen window. Then foxy grows up and has to learn to kill and practises on the housewife's chickens, not doing a very efficient job as it learns to kill! :oops:
So true
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
Oh I remember this well.
Poor Shepherding is the root cause.
SS

really?

I would love to be able to watch over all my sheep from dawn to dusk 365 days a year…..frankly impossible.

Does that make me a poor shepherd?

If legal I could have nailed 3 ravens todays with a rifle…with ease.

The landscape needs balance…but legislation has removed balance.
 
Location
Suffolk
Rooks were controlled because of the huge amount of damage they can do corn crops both at drilling harvest.
Todays methods mean that damage at drilling is rare due to corn being drilled at regular depth, not just scattered and harrowed in. Crops do not go flat at harvest today, and that is where the rooks can do so much damage often large flocks can ruin acres , for a small farmer 100 years ago they could easily lose 20% or moreof their crop in a few days.
The failure to control crows has little Influence on the game that keepers worried so much about of old. Todays men are just employed to feed and keep the small or large flock of bought in birds till the shoot. This is very sad as so many other wild birds and mammals benefited from this crow control. From hares to skylarks, lapwings, oystercatchers, curlews and many many others are suffering greviouslythanks to these birds
I'm nearly in agreement here. I have breeding skylarks, English & Red-legs, way too many pidgeons, ah, and collared doves, rooks, crows, a tame raven, bullfinches, goldfinches, and oh I could go on and on and bore every one to death. Nothing is killed. I simply watch and enjoy. Folk come from all over the world and watch and enjoy. What more can I say.....Except killing 'aint the way. My neighbour is of the same mind-set. He is much respected for his farming methods. He respects me for mine and the feeling is mutual. So to all you in the West perhaps your way of living really needs a re-think. up to you eh.
SS
 

Jerry

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Devon
I'm nearly in agreement here. I have breeding skylarks, English & Red-legs, way too many pidgeons, ah, and collared doves, rooks, crows, a tame raven, bullfinches, goldfinches, and oh I could go on and on and bore every one to death. Nothing is killed. I simply watch and enjoy. Folk come from all over the world and watch and enjoy. What more can I say.....Except killing 'aint the way. My neighbour is of the same mind-set. He is much respected for his farming methods. He respects me for mine and the feeling is mutual. So to all you in the West perhaps your way of living really needs a re-think. up to you eh.
SS

The raven will enjoy killing things…
 
Location
Suffolk
Very few posts on here have made me angry, many have annoyed me, some caused some head-shaking and certain amount of despair, this made me incandescent with rage. Without doubt the most casually and callously worded, ill-informed, rude post ever posted.
Made you think though eh! Poor Shepherding as the Shepheard has become just anothr 'Farm Labourer'. When it was once THE most important job on the farm! Sheep were once important but they are just numbers now.
My brother still treats sheep as important. I posted the wool bales recently they still make good clothing and not f'ing compost even though this is the way forward.
And you take insult in that. FFS! Get real.
SS
 

wrenbird

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
HR2
You know nothing of my life or livestock, how I keep my stock, what wildlife I nurture on my own small patch. You have obviously never done any proper shepherding in your life, my life is very real thank you, I shall not be entering in any further debate. They say ignorance is bliss, you are the proof.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Made you think though eh! Poor Shepherding as the Shepheard has become just anothr 'Farm Labourer'. When it was once THE most important job on the farm! Sheep were once important but they are just numbers now.
My brother still treats sheep as important. I posted the wool bales recently they still make good clothing and not f'ing compost even though this is the way forward.
And you take insult in that. FFS! Get real.
SS

My apologies. When I described you as a knob, I now realise that I was understating your ‘qualities’.

FFS!😡
 

Jameshenry

Member
Location
Cornwall
The planet where shepherds are unable to look after their flock properly and spend time shooting at someone who calls them out! (y)
SS
The planet where shepherds are unable to look after their flock properly and spend time shooting at someone who calls them out! (y)
SS
Please feel free to enlighten all of us amateur sheep farmers, on the proper way to look after outdoor lambing flocks, so we don't get any predation problems from corvids
 
Location
Suffolk
errr….nope.

they are still important….and an important part of my business.

Why would I not care properly for something that forms an important part of my income?
Good to hear. I became rather bored with the scenario of looking after a 300+ flock when the 'owner' left his 80 year old father, bless him, to go skiing. 5 deaths hurt particularly when they could have been avoided with careful fencing. Rhodedendrons and sheep do not mix well but hey ho I scraped the bodies up in the bucket of my county forestry tractor and they were duly collected.
So we went from 300 sheep to much less as I got the attitude that they were only numbers........Now X this by 25 years and see my perspective. 10 of which was under a caring elderly farmer so
I experienced fifteen years of carp which has left me slightly jaded.
So @wrenbird, been there, seen it and tried to cope and I'm never professing to be a f'ing sheep farmer, simply someone who cares! Yes ignorance is proof but you multiply this be all the REAL ignorant Bstards against me who truely cares and then look at your reply! As a yoof we had 400 sheep but there were never mine simply part of the farm.
SS
 
Location
Suffolk
Please feel free to enlighten all of us amateur sheep farmers, on the proper way to look after outdoor lambing flocks, so we don't get any predation problems from corvids
Big aint best.
Diversify.
Enjoy life, it is short.
Get really, really angry at someone on the FF who is posing Q's that hurt! I'm the old barsteward and follow the younger lot in this.
Watch out for the next genertrstuion coz if you don't you really will be in trouble.
Grow quality wool, It still has a purpose. Even sadly it is only great compost. I only wear wool so listen to that.
Enjoy life. Simples & F' the anger.
SS
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 77 43.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 62 35.0%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 28 15.8%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.7%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 4 2.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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