I need help. Someone is stalking my chickens

[Lenny loves chickens]

I used to have a gaurd dog for them amd she did great but she retired a month ago and is now my house dog due to old age.

 

[nuthatched]

Good to know. So far the owl I have spotted before he spotted my chickens he sits in my front yard on a tree facing the road. Hooing. So I know he hasn't spotted them but I am concerned he might someday. Could I can animal control or a owl rehabilitation place to take him somewhere else?

He has already spotted them and if he's taken away, another will take his place.
Best solution is a covered run. ;]

 

[DukesDucks]

Owls have incredible hearing and eye sight. Even if that owl appears to be sleep, the noise of your chickens out on snow will alert it. The little Barn Owl living in neighbours dairy barn is instantly alert to the presence of mice. Snowy Owls are frequently seen here perched on fence posts and hydro poles scanning the fields for a meal.
Please do not consider trying to capture it. You need to provide protection for your livestock from any kind of predator. They are just looking to stay alive.

 

[raingarden]

I'm sort of a birder and have to say that the owl has every right in the world to sit in that tree and eat whatever it can catch. That's his job. It's the chicken keeper's job to not let the owl eat the flock.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Good to know. So far the owl I have spotted before he spotted my chickens he sits in my front yard on a tree facing the road. Hooing. So I know he hasn't spotted them but I am concerned he might someday. Could I can animal control or a owl rehabilitation place to take him somewhere else?

I don’t think you can because it’s a wild animal. You could always call and ask though. You never know.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Owls have incredible hearing and eye sight. Even if that owl appears to be sleep, the noise of your chickens out on snow will alert it. The little Barn Owl living in neighbours dairy barn is instantly alert to the presence of mice. Snowy Owls are frequently seen here perched on fence posts and hydro poles scanning the fields for a meal.
Please do not consider trying to capture it. You need to provide protection for your livestock from any kind of predator. They are just looking to stay alive.

I was not going to capture I was going to have dnr capture but if a new one moves in I minus as well leave that one so I guess its staying...we have many owls in our state

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I'm sort of a birder and have to say that the owl has every right in the world to sit in that tree and eat whatever it can catch. That's his job. It's the chicken keeper's job to not let the owl eat the flock.

I also agree with that. Even though there myyh chickens lol. I probably am not helping the situation since I give it food in the tree....lol since it stares through my window when I sleep

 

[addctd2plnts]

Good to know. So far the owl I have spotted before he spotted my chickens he sits in my front yard on a tree facing the road. Hooing. So I know he hasn't spotted them but I am concerned he might someday. Could I can animal control or a owl rehabilitation place to take him somewhere else?

Oh, he's spotted them LMBO An owl can see a mouse in tall grass when flying a hundred feet in the air. They are built to kill. They DO hunt and kill in the daytime, especially when your birds are loose and supplying them with a meal served up LOL

If you go back through the posts on this site, you'll see daily gruesome posts from people who free range. I understand the ease of it. But the reality is if you want to do this, you must understand you're putting your birds out to feed predators. If you aren't that attached, and don't mind replacing all your birds once or twice a year, it's fine. But most people don't make it a year and give up because the carnage becomes too much to bear.

We had neighbors who tried free ranging. They wer more lazy than uncaring but clearly didn't understand the number of predators and how much their chickens were a neon sign for every predator in a 10 mile radius. They lost their whole flock. So they decided to pen the new flock at night in a stall that wasn't predator proofed. The very first night, I assume a raccoon, climbed over and slaughtered every chicken. Our other neighbors, aren't any better. They have an electric fence but I swear it's only 3 ft high and THEY DON'T TURN ON THE ELECTRIC!!! Then they claimed my BFFs Irish Wolfhound killed a bird. First, I know if that Irish Wolfhound jumped that fence, a LOT more than one bird would be dead. And 2nd, they deserve it for not electrifying the fence and making it taller!

It's not hard to protect them but we have to mentally be "moms". My mindset is I wouldn't be lazy in protecting my children or dogs, so I protect my ducks the same. We put ours out daily in the movable runs, and at an 1-2 hours before dark, they go in the barn in predator proofed stalls. The stalls have 1/2" heavy gauge hardware cloth on the outside and top, and 1/4" hardware cloth on the inside. My 220 lb husband can stand on top of the stalls. They have shims to make the door closing very tight (to make sure snakes can't get inside), and heavy duty locks. A bear might get inside, but that's it. Still, I know we have seen a fox in the barn in the morning, and have some sort of racoon or possum trying to get into the feed bin. And this is with 10 dogs on the property, although not all are safe to roam loose near the ducks. Two dogs mark and roam daily.

It's like they say about roaches.... If you see ONE predator, you have thousands of others hiding that you've never seen!

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Oh, he's spotted them LMBO An owl can see a mouse in tall grass when flying a hundred feet in the air. They are built to kill. They DO hunt and kill in the daytime, especially when your birds are loose and supplying them with a meal served up LOL

If you go back through the posts on this site, you'll see daily gruesome posts from people who free range. I understand the ease of it. But the reality is if you want to do this, you must understand you're putting your birds out to feed predators. If you aren't that attached, and don't mind replacing all your birds once or twice a year, it's fine. But most people don't make it a year and give up because the carnage becomes too much to bear.

We had neighbors who tried free ranging. They wer more lazy than uncaring but clearly didn't understand the number of predators and how much their chickens were a neon sign for every predator in a 10 mile radius. They lost their whole flock. So they decided to pen the new flock at night in a stall that wasn't predator proofed. The very first night, I assume a raccoon, climbed over and slaughtered every chicken. Our other neighbors, aren't any better. They have an electric fence but I swear it's only 3 ft high and THEY DON'T TURN ON THE ELECTRIC!!! Then they claimed my BFFs Irish Wolfhound killed a bird. First, I know if that Irish Wolfhound jumped that fence, a LOT more than one bird would be dead. And 2nd, they deserve it for not electrifying the fence and making it taller!

It's not hard to protect them but we have to mentally be "moms". My mindset is I wouldn't be lazy in protecting my children or dogs, so I protect my ducks the same. We put ours out daily in the movable runs, and at an 1-2 hours before dark, they go in the barn in predator proofed stalls. The stalls have 1/2" heavy gauge hardware cloth on the outside and top, and 1/4" hardware cloth on the inside. My 220 lb husband can stand on top of the stalls. They have shims to make the door closing very tight (to make sure snakes can't get inside), and heavy duty locks. A bear might get inside, but that's it. Still, I know we have seen a fox in the barn in the morning, and have some sort of racoon or possum trying to get into the feed bin. And this is with 10 dogs on the property, although not all are safe to roam loose near the ducks. Two dogs mark and roam daily.

It's like they say about roaches.... If you see ONE predator, you have thousands of others hiding that you've never seen!

That's fair we have a 5 food high chain link fence and lots of hiding spots plus coop and small run like I said I will get a way bigger one but not till may. I guess I have been lucky and have not had a problem with predictors I have had a raccoon but my gaurd dog kept it scared to feaf hanging from a light for 12 hours. To come out to find it I let it go. But I have been doing this for 5 years and have only had one death and it was my cousins fault he let his rescue dog out not knowing that not every dog is trained to live with or by chickens especially free range wise.

 

[raingarden]

I probably am not helping the situation since I give it food in the tree...

You could buy it some hamsters.