How do you keep eagles away?

[woodmort]

Quote:
I agree. The will take a goose or duck when pickings are slim but it is a lot of work and they prefer easy stuff. I would suspect that if one lives any distance from a body or water they wouldn't be a problem. Just don't shoot or in anyway harass them--it is a very expensive federal fine.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

This one would rather eat the dead possum in the pasture than to try and kill the chickens in the yard less than 100 ft away

 

[mkeawsh]

We saw a young eagle last year - didn't even have the white yet - just hanging out on the line. We have rivers all around us - Missouri, Meramec, Bourbeuse etc. Yep, they are here but have never gotten a chicken. Now those darn red-tail and cooper's hawks, along with the barred owl that are out all day are having a field day trying. But my chickens have been through this more than once and know the routine. I loose an average of two a year and I usually know by the calls I hear during the day who is the culprit.

 

[technodoll]

I cover my outside pens with bird netting - it keeps the chickens in and the flying predators out... if ever one came swooping down for a silkie they'd get so tangled up in netting they wouldn't be able to do anything until I came to free them!

Now, for my big free-range girls... nothing I can do but hope for the best.

Knock on wood, have never lost one to a flying predator... weasels are another problem

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
You have to understand that while yes, they prefer fish and carrion, in some places neither are available for many, many months. In the winter the lakes and rivers freeze over and the snow buries the carrion and it freezes before the decomposition can melt what has covered it. In THOSE cases the eagles will take what opportunities they behold. If that's chickens, then so be it. Like I said, we haven't had much issue with them here but our snow generally melts off about the time they start getting really hungry and venturing a ways from their riverside nesting grounds. If we have a long winter with late snow coverage it wouldn't surprise me a bit to see them hunting my chickens. Just hasn't happened yet. Doesn't mean it won't.

Now, more importantly, either ya'll are growing some small eagles or some exceptionally large possums. LOL! Which is it? I know lots of varmint are smaller down south, didn't realize the birds might follow the same pattern...

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
The penalty for shooting a bald eagle can be up to a $250,000 fine & 2 years in prison. You might want to leave him alone.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

either ya'll are growing some small eagles or some exceptionally large possums.

It's just the way the Sun hits it that makes the possum look bigger than it is.
That, and a cheap camera

LOL​

 

[taprock]

Today is the third day in a row the eagles have been around. I scared one away when I let the dog out this morning. Hope the picture isn't too gross - you can see the deer carcass ribs. The first day they were checking out the chickens but since they have only went to the bait pile.

 

[woodmort]

You know Ben Franklin thought the use of the bald eagle as national bird was a bad idea since they eat carrion and steal food from other eagles and hawks. He thought the wild turkey would have been a better idea.

 

[bravevline]

Most birds don't like moving objects, so you can hang up discs on trees if you have a lot. You may see about some kind of light to scare them to