I think it wanted to eat me

[SourRoses]

I couldn't sleep tonight so I got up to check the chicks, which is a nightly habit.
The brooder is on our back porch (a covered porch, but with open rail type sides).
I turn the back light on and step out, then find myself face to face with a huge brown barn owl.
He was 5 feet in front of me, perched on the porch railing.
He stared into my eyes, unflinchingly.
I backed slowly to the open door.
A chick cheeped. His head swiveled left. His head swiveled right.
His head swiveled straight... Staring straight at me.
It felt like he was boring a hole through my eyeballs. My heart thudded.
I leapt back through the doorway and grabbed it to slam shut.
At the last moment I hesitated. What about the poor chicks? Thought I. Don't just run away and save yourself.
With the door open by a mere four inches, I told him to "Get! Get away!"
The hole being stared into my head seemed to bore deeper.
"Shoooo!" Called I, "Shoooo Shoooo!" sounding suspiciously like an owl.
He moved a wing with a rustle. I slammed the door shut in fright.
Through the small window I watched him take flight in response to the door (not me).
I caught glimpses of his wingspan as he flew past the porch to the left, then breezed past to the right.
I think he wanted me for a menu item.

Okay, alright, I know he wanted chicken. Everyone loves chicken.
To that end, I wanted to check with you guys on what additional predator proofing steps we should take in light of a bold owl.
The brooder is made of metal dog exercise pens with finer mesh inside, and a plastic mesh top. The plan was to move them to the coop juvie section this weekend anyway
The coops are well secured, but we've two large sections of yard about 1/4 acre each where the flocks range during the day. Those areas are too large and without the support for us to cover, and we are under huge grandaddy Oak trees which regularly drop heavy limbs and have ruined other netting-top pens in the past.
Would a particularly bold owl stay up late (early) for breakfast?
Are owls scared of those red eye devices?
Which part of me would the fearsome beast have attacked first?
Why didn't I remember to tie a letter to his leg?

 

[Callender Girl]

Congratulations on saving the chicks and scaring away the owl. It's easy to be intimidated by those great big birds.

A couple of years ago, I spotted a juvenile great horned in my yard, kind of dazed on the ground, and called the DNR. When the guy came out, he said the bird likely hit one of the guy wires when it was trying to dive down and take one of my runner ducks!

Bill warned me that even in the state the owl was in, it would be likely to attack me with its talons. I assured him that was unlikely as I would make sure he was between me and the owl at all times. He grabbed it while wearing very heavy gloves and put it in a cage in his truck. The whole time, the owl -- who was on its back -- held up its talons and STARED, unblinking at both of us. Truly unnerving.

(On the other hand, I once wrapped a towel around a little owl that I had been hit by a vehicle and left to die by the side of the road. The woman who hit it took a photo and drove off. When that DNR guy arrived, he told me that under no circumstances should I touch the bird. Um. thanks for the warning; maybe he thought the owl wrapped itself in a towel and crawled off the roadway.)

Hope someone can offer advice on keeping everyone safe. My birds "free range" during the day when I am home, and my geese are always the first to sound the alarm when there is a predator -- including nearby nesting eagles -- overhead. (Of course, they also alert everyone when a motorcycle is on the road, so not all of their warnings are as useful). But, I still run out of the house every time.

Glad everyone is okay!

 

[Battlepants]

Had a similar encounter with a barred owl earlier this week. Was cleaning up the house a bit and decided to take some leftovers to the chickens. Right as I'm about to enter the chicken yard, I feel something hit my right shoulder. I look down and see white spots all over my shirt. I look up and see a barred owl, staring at me about 15 feet up with a look on its face of "What are you gonna do about it?" Gave it a stern talking-to and it flew off.

But yea, owls are rather scary looking if you think about it. Eyes too big for the skull, so they don't rotate. Instead, they rotate their entire head to look at you. Not gonna lie, is rather intimidating to have a predator stare you down unblinking and unreacting.


Fortunately, I haven't had any issues with owls hurting my flock. I think it is mostly the chickens being diurnal and the owl being nocturnal. As long the chickens are safely in the coop by night fall, they've avoided most of the owls hunting time. Additionally, a covered run goes a long way. Beyond that, if you can't provide a covered run, adding a good deal of yard clutter (overturned lawnchairs, picnic tables, trampoline, bushes, really anything they can dart under quickly) can go a long way in chicken survival.

 

[AGeese]

I couldn't sleep tonight so I got up to check the chicks, which is a nightly habit.
The brooder is on our back porch (a covered porch, but with open rail type sides).
I turn the back light on and step out, then find myself face to face with a huge brown barn owl.
He was 5 feet in front of me, perched on the porch railing.
He stared into my eyes, unflinchingly.
I backed slowly to the open door.
A chick cheeped. His head swiveled left. His head swiveled right.
His head swiveled straight... Staring straight at me.
It felt like he was boring a hole through my eyeballs. My heart thudded.
I leapt back through the doorway and grabbed it to slam shut.
At the last moment I hesitated. What about the poor chicks? Thought I. Don't just run away and save yourself.
With the door open by a mere four inches, I told him to "Get! Get away!"
The hole being stared into my head seemed to bore deeper.
"Shoooo!" Called I, "Shoooo Shoooo!" sounding suspiciously like an owl.
He moved a wing with a rustle. I slammed the door shut in fright.
Through the small window I watched him take flight in response to the door (not me).
I caught glimpses of his wingspan as he flew past the porch to the left, then breezed past to the right.
I think he wanted me for a menu item.

Okay, alright, I know he wanted chicken. Everyone loves chicken.
To that end, I wanted to check with you guys on what additional predator proofing steps we should take in light of a bold owl.
The brooder is made of metal dog exercise pens with finer mesh inside, and a plastic mesh top. The plan was to move them to the coop juvie section this weekend anyway
The coops are well secured, but we've two large sections of yard about 1/4 acre each where the flocks range during the day. Those areas are too large and without the support for us to cover, and we are under huge grandaddy Oak trees which regularly drop heavy limbs and have ruined other netting-top pens in the past.
Would a particularly bold owl stay up late (early) for breakfast?
Are owls scared of those red eye devices?
Which part of me would the fearsome beast have attacked first?
Why didn't I remember to tie a letter to his leg?

Sounds like they're ranging in perfect owl terriority. Becareful with early mornings and early evenings that will be coming (depending where) Also I'm pretty sure I've heard someone say they've seen an owl in the daylight despite being noctural (maybe it was disturbed or something)

You might want to try putting up some ground cover your chickens can go under no matter where they are ranging.

And if you have the room may be introduce some geese. Honestly for your owl I'm not sure how effective geese would be (they could end up as food too), but considering geese are territorial and a lot larger it might discourage it from hanging around.

Plus like Callender Girl said geese will make a racket if something is out of order.