Any experience with owls harming your chickens?

[kyle7630]

I'm new to this and just trying to get a feel for things. I know from other posts that hawks will hunt the chickens and guineas. I was wondering if owls did the same at night? Also, what are the roosters limitations with protecting the chickens from predators?

 

[MandyH]

We've had an owl problem for as long as we've had chickens. If they are not enclosed, the owls will eat them. They come back year after year as long as you have chickens. Also, a rooster cannot protect your flock from anything that really wants to eat it. It is a horrendous sight to hear your chckens screaming then looking out to see a big owl taking it away to eat it.

 

[ridder]

We lost one roo and two hens just this last week from an Owl, we now have netting over the top of the pen. the owl actually went into the coop hatch and killed the roo. I was shocked to see the next evening ( after the netting was put up) this massive owl sitting right on the fence post of the pen! He or she has been hanging around because we also raise ducks but they have had netting over the top sence we put them in the pen so no casualties.

 

[Harley's girl]

I had my first run in with an owl. A juvenile great horned. I got no sleep, this thing was so huge!!!!!! I now an terrified that is will never go away. I will not get any sleep and neither will my girls, or for that matter no one in my house will sleep either. What am I going to do? Is there a way to discourage them from hanging around? Thanks!

 

[Buckguy20]

Its hard to deter them since they are a protected species. You just have to keep the chickens where they can't be reached.
When I lived on the farm, our chcikens were all free rangers and roosted in trees. The owls would land in the tree and then move close to a chicken and nudge it off the roost. When the chicken fell or flew, the owl would swoop down and grab it.

 

[whitecra]

I had one get in our covered silkie pen and kill one of the silkies. He was still in there in the morning because he couldn't find his way out. He was big. I had never been that close to one and they are very pretty. We didn't get a picture of him before he got out. I sure wish I would of thought about that but all I was trying to do is keep him away from the other silkies.
Chris

 

[Akane]

I was talking to someone who had an owl take off with nearly all their guineas. One a night for 2 weeks. Guineas are harder to get into a coop than chickens and will roost in trees or on top of buildings if you aren't insistent about them going inside every night. I would think it pretty easy to keep an owl away from chickens. Just put them in a secure coop at night. Which is a good idea anyway considering how many critters come out at night. Around here an owl is probably the easiest night time predator to keep out.

 

[nnbreeder]

The wife stepped outside one night to see a Great Horned Owl fly off with a Buff Orp. hen. Hadn't been able to catch her myself to put her up but the Owl sure did! Had to rescue an American Short Eared Owl from the covered pen one night. They are a small Owl and one of the duck hens had it in the corner whooping it with her wing. I was able to just calmly walk him over to the gate to freedom. As it took off it's mate flew out of a tree behind us and joined him.

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

Play a radio where your chickens roost or in the chicken yard. It might help. Also flashing lights along with the radio are an added bonus.

 

[nautical_bouy]

A great horned owl helped my birds learn the coop was a good place to be, after it killed some.