How to Use Murder Mix: A Complete Guide to Befriending Your Neighborhood Crows

Crows are obsessed with shiny objects. We learned this the hard way when customers started reporting their Bee Cups going missing, carefully plucked and flown off like trophies. So we created Murder Mix™: tiny porcelain trinkets designed to satisfy your neighborhood crows' collecting instincts while keeping your Bee Cups in the ground.

Crows are scary smart (they use tools, recognize human faces, and remember them for years), and if you feed them regularly and offer them shiny things, you might gain a loyal garden guardian. If you're lucky, they might even bring you gifts in return.

Step 1: Find Where Crows Already Go

Spend a few days watching your property. Where do crows regularly perch, forage, or land? Common spots include fence posts, balcony railings, large tree branches, open lawn areas, and near garbage bins.
What makes a good spot: elevated, visible surfaces (crows prefer to survey from height), near existing food sources, away from dense cover.
Early morning and early evening are prime crow activity times.

Step 2: Set Up Your Offering Station

Murder mix has the ultraviolet glaze on one side. Look for the raised, clear glaze and leave that side up. Crows need a reason to approach initially. Murder Mix alone might eventually attract attention, but pairing it with food dramatically speeds things up.
Best crow attractants: unsalted peanuts in the shell (the #1 favorite), hard-boiled eggs (chop them up), dry dog or cat food, unsalted sunflower seeds, fresh fruit chunks (avoid citrus), and meat scraps.
Place food near (not mixed with) your Murder Mix. The food draws crows to the area, and while they're there, they notice the shiny objects.
Feed at the same time daily if possible. Crows have excellent memory and quickly learn schedules.

Step 3: Watch for Trinket Taking (And Maybe Gifts!)

Do crows consistently choose certain colors or shapes first? Some enthusiasts report their birds have clear favorites.
Watch for caching behavior (crows hide valuable items in gutters, mulch, or fence gaps) and sharing and teaching (adult crows showing trinkets to younger ones).
The Gift Exchange: Documented crow gifts include bottle caps, buttons, beads, small shells, pieces of foil, and even coins and jewelry. If you receive gifts, acknowledge them! Pick up the item and show interest; crows watch for your reaction.

Common Questions

"Crows take the food but ignore Murder Mix." This is common early on. Crows prioritize nutrition over novelty. Keep offering both consistently.
"Other birds are stealing the food." Offer larger items crows can handle but smaller birds can't (whole peanuts, larger meat chunks).
"I haven't seen any crows at all." Crow populations fluctuate seasonally. Keep your station maintained and be patient.

Get Your Murder Mix Here 👉 https://bee-cups.com/collections/shop-page-all/products/murder-mix-gifts-for-crows

Have crow stories? Tag us on social media—we're always amazed by the incredible relationships our customers build with their local murders.