New predator: Great Horned Owl. Will it eat chickens or ducks?

[Wyo Chick]

I have had chickens for quite awhile and have never scene an owl after them. But, then again I am not hanging out at night looking for them. My husband and I were out last night. I heard a weird screeching and saw an owl flying over the chicken coop. Will they eat chickens or ducks? At night my chickens and ducks are safely put away, but he wanted a try. Hoping he will eat the mice!

 

[destiny_56085]

Hope ya got a covered pen....

 

[hisdaughter]

I imagine they would eat either if they could get their claws into one

 

[Chemguy]

There has been a discussion on this in another thread, and there is a lot of well-founded spectulation. I think that the agreement is that a horned owl could indeed kill a chicken or duck, but that they would not be able to carry one off. I agree with destiny_56085...that you hopefully have a roof on your run!

 

[stilldeb]

Saw something interesting once. Our neighbors had a pond full of ducks, and an owl came over and picked up one of the ducks, very wet, and went up and sat on the power line. Apparently, it sat in a very bad /live spot and it blew up the owl, blew his wings off, and he was still clutching the duck dead on the ground.

So, yes, they will definitely eat ducks and I imagine chickens as well.

deb g

 

[Wyo Chick]

Oh yes I learned the hard way. I have a covered and wire buried deep run! I had about 12 chickens killed at one time a few years back. I thought a fence would keep a predator out. Hahaha My husband and I built a predator proof chicken house and coop for them!

 

[kesali]

The great horned owl will certainly grab an unwary chicken. Also, do not underestimate other owl species, like the barred owl. They may not be able to carry the chicken away, but they can easily kill them. The horned and barred are also the deadliest enemy of crows and ravens because the owl attacks them when they are roosting at night and can't see well. That's why crows and ravens give owls such a hard time during the day. We chicken people must always be prepared for attacks from land, sea, and air - day and night! The enemy knows no mercy and no quarter is given!!

 

[sourland]

Absolutely! Your cat or small dog is not immune from attack either. They even eat skunks.

 

[harveyhorses]

yes they do eat skunks! A friend of mine could not figure out WHERE the skunk smell was coming from, she has a nice little run in shed for the horses, nicely shaded, we were looking for what might have gotten sprayed and spotted what was left of Peppy hanging about 15 ft above her shed. It took months for it to smell clear again. She said that was one owl that would be sleeping on the sofa for a while!
We have a ton of owls here, as long as my girls are locked up they can have at it!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Normally by the time the sun is up fully the owls are done. I have one sitting in the tree next to the house every dawn.
Night hunters they shouldn't be a problem if your girls are in at dusk.
They will eat birds if the birds are out.