Bald Eagles are after our chickens

[SurferchickinSB]

Lots of good ideas! Thanks! That's what I'm thinking too, that eagles wont land somewhere and then hop over and catch a chicken. The chickens are much more agile on the ground. I watch the eagles all the time, and actually love them. They swoop for the kill and they are a bit clumsy once on the ground. I feel privileged to live around them, but I love my chickens more. No tractors. Small orchard.

Yes, eagles and hawks like to swoop and grab. I basically have made my yard so they cannot do that and if they want a chicken they will have to swoop by, then return and land on the fence and then hop down to the ground. I don’t think they would do that, they are not fast on the ground and I don’t think they like to leave themselves susceptible like that. They are good predators and don’t like to make themselves prey.

 

[ValerieJ]

I feel for you. I'm also in Washington state, and the eagles are especially prolific this year. I free range in my orchard as well and lost my little call hen last month to a giant bald eagle. Came right up next to the house to get her. I witnessed three additional attempts at my standard ducks down in the field, but was able to run the eagle off before any casualties. I know that they're beautiful and it's nature and all that, but I really wish we were allowed to treat them like other predators.

You may have a different experience, but I have never found reflective tape to be effective against aerial predators. The only thing that works around here is plenty of cover. I have a ton of river willow and weeping willow trees that the birds take to when they see a big shadow. We are also currently in the process of building a much larger coop so that we can keep them shut in for a week if necessary when the eagles are particularly bad. I say to give your tomato cage idea a try — I'd be delighted to hear if it works!

I'm not using the reflective tape in the normal sense. I have criss-crossed between trees and fencing to form a web. If an eagle tries to land he'll get tangled in the web. But, I need some areas where I can walk around as that is pretty low, so that's why I'm looking for a different sort of obstacle in those areas. I'm on the Cowlitz, so the eagles are usually not a problem for us. They eat salmon. But, the hatchery accidentally destroyed a bunch of fish a couple years ago and our stock has not built back up. I think the eagles are getting desperate to feed their young. It's sad all around. Thanks!

 

[ValerieJ]

Thank you so much everyone!!!! I have gotten so many good ideas here, and it does seem like a rooster is in my near future. Meantime, I am definitely putting up a bunch of obstacles, tunnels and whatever else I can to protect my girls. I might even talk to my hubby about building a large coop where I feel I can close them in when we are having eagle troubles, but that wouldn't be my first choice. I'll try everything else first. How in the world do we get so attached to these little fluffy bottom creatures? The things we will do for them...

 

[Conan]

Yes, we do that too, but we also have some open spaces out there...room for more trees. I have planted a couple but they are small at the moment. And then there is the berry patch run, which I've just closed them out of for the time being. There is a long landing strip there. That's where I want to create an obstacle course.

You could use a row of lawn chairs!

 

[ValerieJ]

That’s sad I always hope my favorites don’t get taken, so far I have not lost anyone.

I thought I deleted the part about losing my favorites. Decided it was too sad to say out loud. But really Shirl was such a sweet soul. And Ethel, who is wounded but alive, is the one my first rooster nearly killed. He took off the back of her head, literally. It grew back, but there is a dent where feathers don't grow. She is another sweet bird. I'm watching her closely, but I think she'll be okay. Thanks for your empathy.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have spent the morning running reflective tape back and forth throughout my orchard, where my chickens free range, to dissuade the eagles from going after them. Normally they eat salmon from the river, but poor river management has caused an extreme shortage of fish this year. There is a bald eagle nest just around the bend and they need to feed their young, so you guessed it, they are coming after our chickens. They have gotten 2 of my neighbor's chickens and 1 of her ducks. I didn't think they could negotiate through the orchard, but they managed to and killed one of my chickens and wounded another. The problem is they can't actually lift the chicken, so I went out to see one of my babies slaughtered and half eaten. My heart is so broken over it. Normally my girls are so happy and carefree and I love that they have so much space to wander around. Last year I put this reflective tape up and it worked and when I felt the danger was over I took it down. It's hard for me to get around in there when it's up, but this time I'll leave it up.

Here is my question for you all, how about if I set up a lot of tomato cages, upside down, spikes up, and tied reflective ribbons all over them. That way I could walk through the orchard, but the eagles wouldn't have a landing site. What do you think? Please don't tell me to put my chickens in a small cage somewhere. Some of my girls are 4 years old and have lived their whole lives free. Putting them in a confined space now doesn't feel right to me, so I have to find another way to keep them safe.

How big is your orchard? Do you have to keep the rows pretty open to run a tractor down each row of trees?

 

[ValerieJ]

After we lost a duck to a red-tailed hawk, we encouraged crows by scattering corn for them. When they are around, they do a good job of running off the hawks. Can you have a rooster? Lots of people in Oklahoma, where we have open fields and lots of birds of prey, will keep multiple roosters around as they are better than hens at keeping an eye out for aerial predators. They sound the alarm and give the hens time to hide. The people who do this seem to lose a lot of roosters, but since excess cockerels are so common, I guess that they don’t sweat it.

We can have a rooster here and that's an excellent idea. I'm sure I can get my hands on one pretty quickly since everyone has one they don't want. LOL I have tried to attract crows here and for some reason I get every bird but crows. Have never figured that out.

 

[ValerieJ]

I do love a good rooster. Good, being the key word. I lost a wonderful rooster to a rotten dog last year. I have a Russian Orloff cockerel now. I'm hoping he is a gentleman.

Yes, I know what you mean. I have had 3 roosters and I've yet to find a nice one. My first rooster almost killed one of my chickens, so now when I see a rooster get too rough with one it's curtains for him. Sad, I know, but I'm so fond of my girls.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Oh no. It is a very small orchard, about a dozen trees and berry bushes. It's a hand pick sort of place. LOL

Maybe put up lots of cover obstacles, like growing tunnels, tables and chairs, etc. I don’t think Eagles like to get on the ground to try to get prey.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I'm not using the reflective tape in the normal sense. I have criss-crossed between trees and fencing to form a web. If an eagle tries to land he'll get tangled in the web. But, I need some areas where I can walk around as that is pretty low, so that's why I'm looking for a different sort of obstacle in those areas. I'm on the Cowlitz, so the eagles are usually not a problem for us. They eat salmon. But, the hatchery accidentally destroyed a bunch of fish a couple years ago and our stock has not built back up. I think the eagles are getting desperate to feed their young. It's sad all around. Thanks!

Awesome! And how did you make your yard swoop proof? That's what I'm trying to do in the orchard and berry patch.

I have about 17 trees in my backyard and I am trimming them all like umbrellas. I also have a chain-link fence about 4 feet high all around their chicken yard and their coop and run are inside the chicken yard also growing tunnels in their yard. I also have various chicken wire fences up around in my yard for when they free range around the trees that I use as growing areas for myself and my chickens.