Losing Chickens With Electric Fence

[centrarchid]

If it is an owl, it is very likely one of the young ones visiting you. Young owls are the ones that stay around my poultry yard almost all night. Adults are more in an out, I assume because they must also patrol territory.

 

[DyingPhoenix]

If it is an owl, it is very likely one of the young ones visiting you. Young owls are the ones that stay around my poultry yard almost all night. Adults are more in an out, I assume because they must also patrol territory.

This owl was a very large adult! If you missed my last update, I had an encounter.

 

[Molpet]

The run wasn't covered before I just put the netting over it after I suspected it could be an owl. And no, he seemed very angry to be interrupted lol.

I've seen what a great horned owl can do to a person. Years ago fishing with my dad as a kid there was one stuck in fishing line on a stump out over the water. Dad swam out and threw his shirt over it and carried it back to shore. There was another guy that was fishing near us and as they tried to get the line off it's feet, the owl's head came uncovered and it latched on to the guy's arm with its beak. It was like those old B movie horror scenes only it was real.

That's all I could think about as it was thrashing around all over right above me in my underwear standing in the mud and rain with sandals on LOL. It was probably horrified at the sight!

Now, after that experience, I would hope it won't come back but it probably has fuzzy little baby owls to feed so I gotta beef up the top of the run. I think I'm going to try more netting first and if I have any more episodes, I'm going to use wire instead.

Update.

No bait was taken so I could get cam pics. So tonight I left the bedroom window open and didn't stuff all the birds in the coop. Live bait is best I suppose, and I'm an extremely light sleeper. I heard a commotion just now and ran out in the rain.

It's an owl... A great horned owl. And it actually punched through the netting, ripping a hole along the edge and was momentarily trapped before it ripped it's way back out! I ran in there and could only stand there hiding my face as it thrashed around over my head and then was gone.

I checked everyone and no one is hurt, but now they are shoved back inside and locked up. They are plenty old enough to go roost and a few do but most still insist on sleeping outside in a pile. Carrying each one to the coop every single night sure is a chore when you have over 30 to do it for, which is the reason they started getting picked off in the first place.

Now.. I'm not sure what to do about the netting. I'm thinking I will double or triple it. What I'm currently using is deer netting.

I would put up what you have on hand and get some wire.
I have been finding mink heads under a tree next to the poultry yard. So the owls do some good too
I have been getting the birds in at night, Silly poults want to stay out in the trees/coop roof. I know what a chore it is. I have over 50 chicken and 20 turkeys.

 

[centrarchid]

This owl was a very large adult! If you missed my last update, I had an encounter.

Immature birds are as large as adult by April. I may be tangling with an owl myself now. Cameras will be deployed with bait to determine ID of perp assuming dogs did not already school it.

 

[centrarchid]

Owls seem to get into deer netting only once. Keep it up as you had it with hole patched. What I try to do is school my local predators so they stop challenging my protection.