Great-horned Owl Fun in 2020

[centrarchid]

This getting to be long-term building up observations on how these raptors operate and how that operation relates to keeping chickens. If I actually see young owls this year then we will officially have a pattern where the owls appear to fledge young every third year. We will also start placing game cameras out into the more brushy areas where I think the owls actually spend the most time actually hunting. It is that type of area that my property likely has much more of compared to average chicken keepers.

This will be year 6. Previous years can be found through link below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/great-horned-owl-fun-in-2019.1287805/

 

[centrarchid]

We have not been having much fun this year until tonight. My kids help put up chicks every evening and tend to piddle while doing so. This evening we had a reason to hurry. Roosters all gave the warning trill for owl on the distance which could be made out about 150 yards away high in a tree. Owl was watching kids police up chicks. As last chicks penned, owl few around us to barn stirring up chickens and pups inside. Kids sprinted there to chase the owl away. Kids learning warnings produced by chickens.

 

[centrarchid]

Owl back at same time and location down to the branch. Daughter then started screaming like a banshee as she ran at it. Owl flew behind house and daughter followed. It would not leave that location and until I gave a scream which set dogs off. Owl flew to barn and got everyone one riled in there as well. Then flew to location we could not see. Owl will at some point try to come in after young chickens while we are there. If it does while I am looking, then my immediate response will force owl to do some quick math. We be having fun.

 

[centrarchid]

We will not be harming owl, but will make getting chickens more difficult.

 

[centrarchid]

Four nights later and owl is back. While it perched in tree as lost time, we had a solid 20 minutes of adult chickens not with brood trilling. Broody hens over chicks did not vocalize at level I could hear at 20 feet. The brooder reared chicks either want heads pulled or to be carried off. Numb nuts totally oblivious to owl and warnings. Hen-reared juveniles got settled in quietly and quickly. Owl clearly watching chickens. Female English Shepherd watched owl as she stood between it and the numb nut juveniles not jet on roost. Later she started barking at it and was joined by other two adult dogs. Pups only go barking when owl approaches barn. Owl still probing.

 

[centrarchid]

When I was a child there was breeding pair of eagle owls who lived on my property. They were large and they hunted crows, bats and doves and once I saw them eating a juvenile peacock. However I never saw them hunting my chickens. After they were gone I have lost many birds to eagle owls.

The Great-horned Owl here can be very adept at hunting chickens, especially when owls like mine that show little fear of humans. Your closely related Eagle Owl may not like getting into tight locations when near human habitation. Your Eagle Owl is large enough it likely could not fit into some locations my owls cause trouble in.

 

[centrarchid]

He is back. He tried to get my Aseel stag just before dark. Stag got on ground and starting making a funny version of alarm for owl. Female English Shepherd started walking towards situation real slow acting like she was trying to point between steps. Owl flushed only to land a couple hundred yards away. Shortly after a single Canada Goose flew a quarter circle around owl clearly checking it out warily as flying by.

 

[centrarchid]

No owl before dark tonight. Chase may last night may have put a damper on it. Adult shepherds and daughter spend at least an hour with chickens every evening. Chicks are mangling yard in front of one pen. Ben is way to much into sniffing chicks, especially during stage when daughter get young birds to roost. About 1/3 of chicks American Dominiques, 1/3 Missouri Dominiques with the balance being games. They are in groups of roughly 20 making for a lot of double checks to make certain all in before closing up pens.

 

[centrarchid]

Owl working pens and caused a game hen with juvenile offspring to move from woods to tight spot under a pen cover. Last night hen and offspring were walking around in dark near back of house after being flushed from tree. Dogs expended a lot of effort barking at owl. Owl also worried penned birds. As it got dark this evening the owl came in disturbing mockingbird causing female English Shepherd to run in that direction. The roosters gave cackle for owl and she then ran in that direction. I have begun clumping pens to together (never rooster to rooster or hen to hen) and placed roost bars so owl could not get at roosting chickens from both sides. Chickens work well with that.

 

[Kabootar]

This getting to be long-term building up observations on how these raptors operate and how that operation relates to keeping chickens. If I actually see young owls this year then we will officially have a pattern where the owls appear to fledge young every third year. We will also start placing game cameras out into the more brushy areas where I think the owls actually spend the most time actually hunting. It is that type of area that my property likely has much more of compared to average chicken keepers.

This will be year 6. Previous years can be found through link below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/great-horned-owl-fun-in-2019.1287805/

When I was a child there was breeding pair of eagle owls who lived on my property. They were large and they hunted crows, bats and doves and once I saw them eating a juvenile peacock. However I never saw them hunting my chickens. After they were gone I have lost many birds to eagle owls.