can a GIGANTIC owl eat my chickens? My ducks? My goose?!?!?

[Buster]

Quote:
If they had a clear shot at the door they make be able to drop in, I would think.

Too funny about you asking it politely to go away.

I would just be on top of it and lock everyone up at dusk.

 

[ivan3]

The smaller Barred's have never bothered our full grown hens, but our neighbor told us that one had definitely killed a mallard. I was trying to find the old news article about the poodle that was carried off by a GHO right in front of the owner.

The Barred's will hunt during the late afternoon when they have chicks (like to see them flying through the woods carrying snakes like they are spaghetti). The one below was watching the girls range last June.

The barred's here take frogs from the pond, both on the wing and from the bank (as enola said, they are none to graceful in a ground attack).

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

I think that's the owl I had, but mine was on steroids... he is at least as big as my swedish/mallard mixes... and totally unfazed by my crazy antics.... I swear, he gave me a dirty look.

 

[halo]

chickensducks&agoose :

uh... is yelling and throwing snowballs 'harassing'? 'cause if it is, I was totally joking... i actually spoke politely to it, and asked it kindly to not eat my birdies.... uh......

 

[al6517]

YES TAKE PRECAUTIONS NOW!!!!, they will cause you many many problems and will keep coming back & back & back.

 

[ivan3]

Our neighbor swears by bottle rockets, but I've never had cause (GHO's tend to hang out closer to the Missouri River).

 

[moduckman]

I have had more trouble with owls than foxes, coyotes, coons and possums combined. They took all of our call ducks and a number of juvenile turkeys and chickens. From late january till mid-march owls seem to be at their worst since they are feeding their nestlings.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

is there any like... owl repellent? Non-harassing Owl repellant? Something that hints toward like not coming back? like... 'gee, these chickens taste really, really bad'... or 'do you know how much cholesterol is in these ducks?' like maybe a big nutritional index... with tons of added calories, something that says that the main ingredient isn't actually organic egg-laying fowl, but like pig-tongues?

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

maybe I can put out a bowl of Owlie Crunchies?

 

[ivan3]

moduckman wrote: I have had more trouble with owls than foxes, coyotes, coons and possums combined. They took all of our call ducks and a number of juvenile turkeys and chickens. From late january till mid-march owls seem to be at their worst since they are feeding their nestlings.

Both Great Horned and Barred's? Last Monday night the local Barred's were loosening up their vocal cords for the Feb. Mating cacophony.

chickensducks&agoose, air horn? Shotgun Blast into the air? I've thrown Osage Oranges (hedgeballs) at the Barred's and they just move to the next available Hickory.​