Will an owl take on a full grown rooster?

[AmyRey]

Our rooster sleeps in the tree in our front yard, very close to the house. (The girls sleep in their coop.)

It's not uncommon to hear owls at night, usually at quite a distance. But this morning, there were two owls making their presence known, one of them sounded very close for a time. And the other would answer back. Hubby says they were discussing which chicken to eat. (Not funny) And Cocky was noticeably silent while all this was going on. Eventually, the nearest one moved closer to the other, but that got me thinking.

Would an owl take on a full grown rooster who was roosted in a tree?

 

[citrusdreams]

Yes it would, and could, if it wants. I'd try to get him to go inside when the sun goes down. It doesn't take long to establish a habit, and the same goes for chickens. They like their habits. Towards dusk, before you close up, lure him with a treat and bring him to the henhouse. I can't see it taking more than a few days to get him to do it on his own.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Yes. I lost a juvenile rooster who suddenly decided he was too 'special' to sleep in the house with the others. That lasted a couple of days and that was the last a saw of him - apart for the wing I found a few days later.

 

[corancher]

Yes. I have lost a few chickens & guineas to owls.

 

[Sunny the Hippie Chick]

I had a large owl try to swoop up my chihuahua.. I guess the bird figured out my routine of potty breaks. He would be out there every night for a long time. And every time I went out with my dog. He would try to catch the dog. I changed potty schedule real fast.

 

[flakey chick]

As everyone else has told you yes, but... it depends on the owls. I'm not worried about our tiny screetch owls. Shoot they were so wimpy they were run out of their house by squirrels. The large barn owl in the woods across the street is a different matter. Chances are whatever you heard would love to make a meal out of your rooster.

 

[obchix]

I had an owl go after a 20 lb cat....needless to say we were happy Dad was out there to scare it away from the cat!

 

[AmyRey]

Okay... thanks, all!

 

[PortageGirl]

Can you tell what type of owls they are? Most owls are beneficial to have around and I would welcome them around me since I only have standard poultry. They eat mice and rats, a LOT of mice and rats! Great Horned Owls are a little different though.... they are big enough to eat chickens. Of course, they are also big enough and very willing to eat Oppossums and Raccoons too!!!! This is why it's a mixed blessing to have them around. If you get your rooster to roost inside the coop, (and make sure you lock the doors up, I've heard of them getting into coops!) they should all be safe, and the owls will keep varmint numbers down, even if they are Great Horned. Their call is the typical Hooo Hooo hoo-hoo WHooo, that we associate with owls. Barn owls actually sort of screetch-hiss and they eat much smaller prey, mice etc and are no real threat to your flock.

//edit to add:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Horned_Owl/lifehistory#at_food

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Barn_Owl/lifehistory#at_food

 

[pips&peeps]

A Great Horned tried to eat one of my sebastopols last year, so yes get your rooster in the hen house and locked up at night.

This guy stood about knee high and just looked at me when I caught him in the act. I had to actually chase him off the goose and he only flew a few feet away.