Gutsy owl

[cmom]

I had an owl at night get into one of my open coops and kill several birds. I finally figured it out when I put up a game camera. I have since put concrete under the gates because I had a fox dig under one and kill some birds and put tarps over the open side and heavy duty netting over the top. I have electric wire going around all of the coops and pens.

 

[cmom]

I bought 200' x 50' 2"x2" mesh heavy duty netting. It's been up for several years and was put up when the trees were small. It is still good. My pens are 200' x 60' so I bought some 150' x 14' to fill in where the other netting left off so the entire pens are covered with the netting.

 

[cmom]

Also it's illegal to kill a bird of prey.

 

[Brittwearsboots]

I had an owl at night get into one of my open coops and kill several birds. I finally figured it out when I put up a game camera. I have since put concrete under the gates because I had a fox dig under one and kill some birds and put tarps over the open side and heavy duty netting over the top. I have electric wire going around all of the coops and pens.
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We have something extremely similar for our turkeys, minus the electric fencing. How does the fencing work with your door area? We could do that easily with the chain link, chicken wire and netting we already have. I'd love to make a fortress for my ducks like that.

 

[cmom]

I"ll take a picture and post it.

 

[cmom]

All of the gates are done like this and if a coyote or other critter touches it they get zapped. Most of the time they first sniff at the wire and may touch it with their nose and get shocked. I have heard critters especially in the spring when the young are on their adventures and touch the wire. I have touched it my self (by accident) and it has made my heart skip a few beats. The black wire goes under ground and the white polywire is hot so if you touch it you will know it but I can open the gate.

The black wire is connected to the rest of the wire to complete the circuit. Someday I need to replace the black wire because I really cut it too short, but for now it works.

 

[Brittwearsboots]

I'm going to look into that! Thank you for the advice and pictures.

 

[Trux]

When you have fowl of any kind, it is the responsibility of the keeper to SECURE them in a manner that they won't be predicated. Meaning coops with no holes or cracks of any kind, vent holes with hardware cloth coverings, and runs with hardware cloth and a roof or hardware cloth cover, and also a dig bibb, meaning 12 to 18 inches of buried hardware cloth or in this case chicken wire will work. So often people want to blame the predators when they are doing what comes natural to them, eating. It is not their fault your offering them an easy meal. Killing predators has consequences...Kill a Opossum and you just stayed the death sentence of hundreds of ticks and other bugs they eat, Coyote or Fox equals more mice and rats, and if you kill Raptors not only is it illegal but once again mice rats and other unwanted critters will be given a reprieve. So secure your flocks like a responsible keeper should and does and let the predators live.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I will not advise you to kill the owl but I will remind you that catching always comes before the hanging.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

You can in fact get a permit to kill raptors. The windmill power generators all have exemption from the International Migratory Bird Treaty. Also the solar mirror power generators are protected as well. For an individual like yourself to get the same protection that Big Green Industry enjoys you must demonstrate an economic hardship that is preventing you from either earning a living or else preventing you from keeping your body & soul together.