Dead owl INSIDE coop!!

[ChooksinChoppers]

My fault, she did ask me which ones they were and my Aussie accent makes a few words sound like others. I'm sure she can give examples. All I know of the hootenanny is, I heard her out there yelling at them "The night doesn't just belong to you owls!!"

 

[pamiejune]

We have barn owls nesting in our oak trees overhead... I haven't lost any chickens to them. But, they show up and get agitated every time we have new chicks. I know by now the owls will absolutely be drawn in by the sounds, and make sure to close the coops up before it's fully dark. Then half the night it's "Whhooo cooks for yoouuuu" between 2-4 individuals.

One night a month ago, I was out after dark in the yard painting some lumber under a shop light. To escape the fiery death ray in the sky, you know...
The hair on the back of my neck won't stop prickling. After glancing all around, I finally look up, and on the lowest branch about two yards above my head is a big owl. He's staring right at me, and let me tell ya it wasn't wisdom he was waiting to share with me but wondering if I had an ear or eyeball to share with him.
I told him to go away, waved my paint brush around (yes, that set of clothing is still showing the effects).
He turned his head back and forth and then pinned me again with his glare.
Then a second owl showed up to a nearby branch and also laser-eyeballed me. I maybe didn't feel so secure in my position as an apex predator (snort). So I shined the flashlight at both of them and yelled a bit louder about my right to paint in my own backyard. Then the first one lifts from his branch, and does he fly up and away? ... No. He flies down. Right over my head. I ducked, or he would have been snacking on one of my eyeballs.
I may have run away a little bit.
I may have announced as I came in the house that I was done with painting for the evening, as if it was my own idea.

... They're out there. Always watching...

 

[NewcoopNewpoop]

That is a beautiful owl..

 

[Seaslug]

I also do not think of barn owls as being chicken predators. But I could totally see one going into a coop to prey on the mice and/or rats that likely live there.

We had a hawk die on our property. I found it in our stream. Fish and Game did not want it, but we did call it in. I buried it. It is amazing to see such animals close up, but obviously sad as well.

 

[Love Donkeys]

Anyone have barn owls mess with their chickens?
I've had them in the barn where my chickens live and they didn't seem to bother them. Now every other kind of owl has.
Just curious

We have a Barn Owl family living in one of our Oak trees. Our chickens are free-range, the Owls only went after our barn cats when they got close to their tree.

 

[Finchbreeder]

Protecting their tree from Cats sounds like fairs fair.
Our local Willie wag tails do that too.

 

[Love Donkeys]

I was thinking the same thing. We have owls, but not barn owls. Only the hawks go after the chickens

Never had a Red-tailed Hawk go after the chickens. Bald Eagles now that's another story

 

[Folly's place]

Our raptor losses have been to Coopers and Red tailed hawks. Bald eagles are present here, but never (so far!) have gone after our chickens.
Mary

 

[Chicalina]

Barn owls are your coop friends. They eat mice. This one got in and probably got stuck and died of stress trying to get out again.

Your chicken may have escaped in the melée and was either predated (not by a barn owl) or will reappear at some point.