Can anyone identify this feather- hunting chickens

[JessicaDotta]

Hi, thanks for helping. I’ve lost two hens over the last seven months. The latest hen disappeared around 6:30 p.m.

I found her feathers in two places in my yard. I also saw a huge dark brown feather. Since then, I’ve found two more dark brown feathers. Then this morning, I found this feather outside my duck cage.

Could my predator be an owl?

 

[cherrynberry]

Hi, thanks for helping. I’ve lost two hens over the last seven months. The latest hen disappeared around 6:30 p.m.

I found her feathers in two places in my yard. I also saw a huge dark brown feather. Since then, I’ve found two more dark brown feathers. Then this morning, I found this feather outside my duck cage.

Could my predator be an owl?

I would guess hawks and vultures are a more common possibility...

 

[cmom]

I would guess possibly an owl. They come around here usually around dusk and dawn. Hawks during the day. I have vultures around but they haven't bothered my birds.

 

[JessicaDotta]

Thank you both for your reply. I've seen hawks, hear owls and see vultures.

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

That looks like an owl feather to me!

 

[Zindagi]

Tie up pie tins to blow in the wind, this may help to scare these predators off. I chased one hawk in mid-attack last year. I screamed really loud, and have never seen it since. It was an angry running scream. It may help.

 

[JessicaDotta]

Tie up pie tins to blow in the wind, this may help to scare these predators off. I chased one hawk in mid-attack last year. I screamed really loud, and have never seen it since. It was an angry running scream. It may help.

LOL - I love that!

 

[cmom]

All of my pens are covered with good heavy duty netting. When I first put it up I ran short so bought some other netting and it worked for quite awhile. Eventually an owl discovered how crappy the netting was and decided it would plow through the netting and killed some birds. I put another piece up and again the owl went through it and killed some birds so I moved the birds to another coop and pen. I replaced that piece and put a camera up and the owl came back and went through the crappy netting again. In the meantime I ordered some good netting and then put it up and the owl tried to go through the netting again but this time got caught. We managed to get it into a cage and a wildlife rescue came and got it.

I have posted these pictures before.

 

[Zindagi]

If still having issues, string pie tins all over your pens. It won’t bother the chickens, but will work on owls and hawks.
https://www.hunker.com/13710313/how-to-keep-birds-out-of-your-garden

 

[Willowhisp]

All of my pens are covered with good heavy duty netting. When I first put it up I ran short so bought some other netting and it worked for quite awhile. Eventually an owl discovered how crappy the netting was and decided it would plow through the netting and killed some birds. I put another piece up and again the owl went through it and killed some birds so I moved the birds to another coop and pen. I replaced that piece and put a camera up and the owl came back and went through the crappy netting again. In the meantime I ordered some good netting and then put it up and the owl tried to go through the netting again but this time got caught. We managed to get it into a cage and a wildlife rescue came and got it. View attachment 2670652View attachment 2670653View attachment 2670655I have posted these pictures before.

poor bb, whenever I have something bothering my animals I leave food out for it, it usually seems to help