Arizona Chickens

[Mama Hen Chris]

Cackling rooster and crowing hen come to no good end. A picture of the saddle feathers might clear up the question. What do the feet look like?

These were taken on the 12th

 

[MaddBaggins]

Chicken math is setting in on my wife. She saw Cindy's post about the chicks she has and pointed them out to me. She wants me to be the bad guy and tell her no more. We'll see how this one turns out. I have a hard time telling her no to anything.

A question on owls... My Mom has had an owl or two, depending on the morning, perched on her neighbor's roof. She says it was a Great Horned Owl. Are they anything to worry about with the chickens? We let our girls out at 0400 Hours every morning and my Mom is three doors down. My wife sees them on the lightpoles, too, occasionally. There are all sorts of warnings on hawks, buf I don't recall a mention of owls.

Night all. Work comes early for us.

Owls in my neighborhood have been seen taking small dogs. I would suspect they would take a small chicken if they feel so inclined.
I've decided if I let our girls free range the yard, it will only be during the times I can sit in the yard with them.

 

[Mama Hen Chris]

Chicken math is setting in on my wife. She saw Cindy's post about the chicks she has and pointed them out to me. She wants me to be the bad guy and tell her no more. We'll see how this one turns out. I have a hard time telling her no to anything.

A question on owls... My Mom has had an owl or two, depending on the morning, perched on her neighbor's roof. She says it was a Great Horned Owl. Are they anything to worry about with the chickens? We let our girls out at 0400 Hours every morning and my Mom is three doors down. My wife sees them on the lightpoles, too, occasionally. There are all sorts of warnings on hawks, buf I don't recall a mention of owls.

Night all. Work comes early for us.

Owls will go after your girls especially predawn. Owls usually hunt from dusk to dawn. Have had a pair checking out my girls. Your silkies will make a nice appetizer for them. Owls are looking for food for their young now.

 

[countrygirl74]

Chicken math is setting in on my wife. She saw Cindy's post about the chicks she has and pointed them out to me. She wants me to be the bad guy and tell her no more. We'll see how this one turns out. I have a hard time telling her no to anything.

A question on owls... My Mom has had an owl or two, depending on the morning, perched on her neighbor's roof. She says it was a Great Horned Owl. Are they anything to worry about with the chickens? We let our girls out at 0400 Hours every morning and my Mom is three doors down. My wife sees them on the lightpoles, too, occasionally. There are all sorts of warnings on hawks, buf I don't recall a mention of owls.

Night all. Work comes early for us.

Here's an old post on owls - mostly great horned, but also some mention of what the smaller breeds can still come after and carry away...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/84500/owls-as-predators

 

[cbnovick]

Owls will go after your girls especially predawn. Owls usually hunt from dusk to dawn. Have had a pair checking out my girls. Your silkies will make a nice appetizer for them. Owls are looking for food for their young now.

Awesome pics as always...what cuties despite being predators

 

[cbnovick]

Here is a video from this morning. Still looks so much like a hen. Do you think it may be gender confused? Hate to get rid if s/he is a hen.

Chris, I think it is a 'he' after seeing the neck stretch and crow practice...what a cutie though...love it when they are just learning!! surely someone will want him (-;

 

[Demosthine]

Great info on the owls! It was late last night and I had a bout of laziness, posting the request instead of looking it up. But hey, we got some gorgeous photos out of it, like always. You never cease to amaze me, Chris. Those are just awesome. I'll have to figure something else out for the girls then. Maybe have my daughters go back to the house every morning before school to let them out at about 0700 Hours. I'll look in to those daylight sensor doors, too.

 

[Arizonachicken]

Great info on the owls!  It was late last night and I had a bout of laziness, posting the request instead of looking it up.  But hey, we got some gorgeous photos out of it, like always.  You never cease to amaze me, Chris.  Those are just awesome.  I'll have to figure something else out for the girls then.  Maybe have my daughters go back to the house every morning before school to let them out at about 0700 Hours.  I'll look in to those daylight sensor doors, too.

We had Great Horned owls up in Payson, too. One took a full grown hen (Rhode Island Red) and another took a guinea, although it couldn't take off with it. It was sitting on top of it and my dad (big guy..6' 2") ran up to it to chase it off but it just sat there and put it's wings out, so it got kicked. The guinea ran under the shed and that owl never left. Every time the guinea would try to come out, the owl would swoop down, even with all of us there waving our arms and yelling. Eventually the guinea made a run for it and tried to fly into a tree...no more guinea. That was at night. The other took the hen in daylight.

 

[Mahonri]

Why does The Feed Barn not open until 10 AM on a Saturday?

Our day off is when they should open at 8AM... like The Pet Food Depot

 

[Arizonachicken]

Day off? What's that??