Bald Eagle

[loriw2007]

Last Saturday evening still light outside my husband and I where sitting on the back deck area when our rooster ran by screaming like a little girl and clucking he ran right into the basement thru the doggy door. So i stood up and there stood a Bald Eagle about 20 feet from us! I grabbed my cellphone to take a picture but was more worried about my animals so told DH to scare him off. Once he was gone I went to the basement to check on the rooster and he was very scared if he could talk he would of been yellin"DID YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT THING?" So then i went off to look for my hen and she was no where to be seen. My 9 year old son and I looked everywhere and when we thought for sure she was gone we went to go get the rooster and put him in his pen without his girl. Well once we got to his coop out from the woods came the hen running !! We where soo happy to see her. Well that all happened 3 days ago and they have a covered pen that they can go in off their coop, (but that day I let them out to run the yard) well they havent left their coop since no morning cock adoodle do;s or nothing. What should I do?? We are going to the hard ware store to get some streamer type stuff to blow in the wind to try and keep the eagle away any one have any other ideas?? I worry about my cats too!

 

[erinm]

just secure it as much as you can and don't free range. that is the only risk free option. You can't kill it so you have to decide if you are willing to lose a few sometimes and let them range free and happy or secure them and let them be semi happy. i do free range sometimes and have lost a few over the past 3 years but I think they are happiest when out so if they die they died doing what they loved doing. I would not want to be penned up all the time. I try to be outside when i let them out but the hawks are bold and i have lost them while out in the yard with them, ErinM

 

[MysticScorpio82]

First and foremost, I am glad to hear everyone (chicken-wise) was okay! Ok as for the eagle, I would recomend you read this forum thread- it has tips for detering an eagle....aparently (spelling) they do not like shiney things... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=177089

Hope that helps you out!

 

[Sillystunt]

I feel your pain. One day looking out the window into the backyard i witnessed a hawk swipe a baby bird off the fence. OMG!! It was cool but then i thought of my chickens. Down here in Florida we have fish hawks on every street and a fanily of eagles 5 blocks away. I never realized how big they were until seeing one up close!
Shiney things....i will keep that in mind!