Anyone at BYC ever raise an owl?

[Michael OShay]

I was just curious whether any BYC members have ever raised an owl. I had a friend years ago who had a pet Great Horned Owl. I have never had one and I suspect that feeding them would be quite a challenge. He had to catch rats or mice, or feed it small birds (like doves or pigeons) from his own flocks, or else shoot some birds and give them to his owl while they were still warm and fresh.

 

[hemet dennis]

I was just curious whether any BYC members have ever raised an owl. I had a friend years ago who had a pet Great Horned Owl. I have never had one and I suspect that feeding them would be quite a challenge. He had to catch rats or mice, or feed it small birds (like doves or pigeons) from his own flocks, or else shoot some birds and give them to his owl while they were still warm and fresh.

Not a big deal if you raise the mice and rats.
We had a hawk with a bad wing we found and raised for some years.

 

[Michael OShay]

Not a big deal if you raise the mice and rats.
We had a hawk with a bad wing we found and raised for some years.

It was shocking how much that Great Horned Owl could eat each day.

 

[oldrooster]

Quote:
I wonder if it actually legal, I would check on fed, state, and local laws before trying to dig further. Because why go to all the hassle just to either not be able to or end up in jail?

 

[Michael OShay]

I wonder if it actually legal, I would check on fed, state, and local laws before trying to dig further. Because why go to all the hassle just to either not be able to or end up in jail?

I was just curious. I've occasionally seen some documentaries where someone has rescued an injured owl and cared for it. As for fed, state, and local laws, my friend had this owl back in the 1960s, in Texas. I doubt those things were a concern then, but you're right, they might well be now.