Hawks and owls.

[Jennn27]

Something got two of my chickens yesterday when I wasn't home.

A white hen was--sorry about this part-- beheaded, and my little Silver Seabright Bantam was just taken. I'm pretty upset about my little Banty. So, my daughter and I have been reading up on how deter hawks and owls, and she read that shiny things scare them off. We have hung several aluminum pie plates (disposable) around the property and one on the chicken run itself. Short of keeping them locked up all of the time, what else can we do to scare the owls and hawks? Anything?

 

[centrarchid]

Do not rule out fox as it is more likely to take multiple birds in one visit. Fox will often remove head to dispatch then pack of catch one at a time. Pen birds up and leave dead bird out where you can observe. Any of the predators will return but this time of year fox more likely to scavenge.

 

[Folly's place]

I agree. Usually a hawk will kill one bird at a time, often every third day or so. To manage this, I will lock my birds in their coop and safe run for ten to twenty days, and the hawk will move on. A fox will show up, sometimes during the day, and kill multiple birds. I lost ten one horrible afternoon a few years ago! Again, lock your flock up safely until the beast is eliminated, because he'll be back until all your birds are gone! Set live traps, warn any neighbors with birds, and lie in wait to get him! Mary

 

[Mommaw]

I hear a ruckus noise of one hen, went out to the pen where the hen and rooster was. Upon coming to the pen, a large bird flew out. It was 4:00 am so I couldn't see what kind of bird but it was , however, it was large and had a wide wing span. Two days earlier I found a chicken head in the pen so something was coming in the pen and it was from above. On entering the pen I found my favorite rooster dead with a chest wound. What do you think it was? Hawk at 4am or an owl? I am heartbroken as Sky King has been my pet for over five years and has had three incidents of one kind or another and always saved his flock...tears for my rooster flow...I am sick.

Shar

 

[iawoodchip]

I hear a ruckus noise of one hen, went out to the pen where the hen and rooster was. Upon coming to the pen, a large bird flew out. It was 4:00 am so I couldn't see what kind of bird but it was , however, it was large and had a wide wing span. Two days earlier I found a chicken head in the pen so something was coming in the pen and it was from above. On entering the pen I found my favorite rooster dead with a chest wound. What do you think it was? Hawk at 4am or an owl? I am heartbroken as Sky King has been my pet for over five years and has had three incidents of one kind or another and always saved his flock...tears for my rooster flow...I am sick.

Shar

Bared owl is my guess, Early feeder, Decapitate birds. I lost 2 for sure to a bared owl & maybe 2 others.

Jim

 

[centrarchid]

Great-horned owl?

 

[iawoodchip]

In my case it was a bared. There's one hanging out real close,

jim

 

[Mommaw]

I have never seen an owl....the wing span was so wide....I suppose it was an owl. I have since locked my chickens up....at night....Thanks for the reply.

Shar

 

[Fisher Farms]

I put netting over top of my run since a hawk got into my flock two hears ago. I have not had any problems since then, and it provides shade for my girls... they seem to enjoy that.