North to Alaska!

[Alaskan]

Ditto what he said.

Also, I don't think Anchorage has lynx, does it? Lots of moose.

 

[wingedshade]

I have had a Lynx in my yard, but at the time I didn't have any chickens. It checked out the goats and left, I haven't seen it since. I think we lost more chickens to birds of prey rather than ground based predators.

 

[Alaskan]

I too have Lynx in my area.

But also, no losses to lynx... That I know of.

My biggest losses has been DOGS!!!

Second is raptors, all of them. Mostly bald eagles, but also great horned owls, and hawks, etc. etc.

 

[wingedshade]

Yup dogs too! We were lucky enough to catch them in the act before too much damage was done.
When I was a kid I remember we has a full flock wipe-out in like 3 days. Just some scattered feathers left, we figured it was a bird of some sort. Once an owl went after the flock. Mom saw it in a tree, said it looked like it was almost 3 feet tall!

 

[Alaskan]

Great horned owls are crazy strong.

The one that went after my birds just ate their heads.

 

[wingedshade]

I've heard of that happening before. Was it trying to get them through a fence or netting?

 

[Alaskan]

Nope, it crawled in through the pop door, and had full access.


Supposedly they find the heads the tastiest... Delicious brain. It ate a couple f heads the first night... Second night it pried its way in, and ate a few more heads...

Third night, I got everything closed toghtly enough, that the owl just left claw marks around the pop door as it tried to pry it open again.

 

[wingedshade]

Persistent little buggers!
When you mentioned heads missing I Googled it, first search result? A BYC post! lol

 

[Alaskan]

Ha! And in that post... What ate the heads? I have heard other animals do it too, not only Great Horned Owls.

 

[wingedshade]

My search question was 'why do owls only eat the head?' so most of they thread was directed to 'why?' rather than 'what?'
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/145302/why-do-owls-just-eat-the-head

This other website says owls too. http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/What_killed_my_chicken__63__/