Giant owls biting chickens' heads off! (A friend's problem!)

[ChickLover98]

I got a report from my dad that one of his friends is having trouble with giant OWLS that are almost two feet tall. He was watching one night to see whats been in the coop and all the owl wanted was the feed, but when a chicken confronted it, it bit the chickens head off, like scissors! All the owl wanted was the feed, really, but it dodn't like the chickens coming after it! Can you help? I know this sounds very odd and I know I've never heard of it! Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[emys]

The average height of a Great Horned Owl is 22 inches.

After that you lost me. The owl, which is a carnivore, wanted chicken feed?!??!

Assuming your friend does not need glasses, and what he saw is true, all I can guess is that MAYBE the owl is lacking calcium and minerals found in chicken feed???? This is their egg laying season.

Better close the coop up somehow! Sooner or later it will have chicks to feed, and owl chicks need meat.

 

[babalubird]

I agree, that's pretty wierd. Can he cover the top of the chicken yard with bird netting? Another odd thing about that. Was the owl out during the daylight hours? Does he not lock up his chickens at night? I'm just trying to figure out why the two should meet after dark.

Connie

 

[Talihofarms]

I have dealt with GHO.

I have trapped them and released them.
They eat the head first for the brain, then if given enough time will eat the breast and the rest.
Something is missing in this story...
Owls feed at night.
If the chickens are not secured at night, its only a matter of time before an owl will come and visit.
Until the chickens are secured, or until there are no more free dinners left to be had.

just my.02

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
So it was at night and was probably a Great Horned Owl, which he can't legally harm in any way.

The GHO was NOT after the chicken feed, that was coincidental or mistaken. What the friend needs to do is lock up the chickens at night so NO predators can get in. If a GHO made it in then it is an open buffet for all predators in the area.

Good luck to them, because once the preds find the buffet they will be unwilling to leave.

 

[ARose4Heaven]

We had an owl take up residence in our machine shed. DH put a radio on a talk station out there. Owl went away.

 

[ChickLover98]

I thought it was strange, too. I don't know the coop set-up, but it was near dusk.

 

[chickenlips1954]

Just to let you know, GHOs do feed during the day. I lost 12 of my girls over a 6 week period and they were all eaten during the morning hours. I finally caught one in action on my day off from work and watched it fly off a half eaten hen. Needless to say that GHO will no longer be eating any more of my girls. You do have a right to protect your livestock, even from endangered species. I depend on income from the sale of my eggs and this GHO depleted a third of my layers, not to mention it took out several of my best broody hens.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
My livestock will always come first.

 

[halo]

Quote:
If you are killing anything on the Endangered Species list, I suggest you keep yourself very anonymous. There are rewards for turning people in.