- Jul 6, 2010
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I went down to feed the chicken after lunch--no rush they won't go out in the snow anyway--and noticed the crows were having a fit. I figured there was a hawk around--again--so decided I'd leave the birds in for the rest of the day. They didn't seem anxious to go out anyway. After I finished I looked around the area to see if I could spot what was causing the ruckus. Nothing in the trees and I almost left when I noticed this at the lower end of the chicken yard.
Now last summer I had problems with a Cooper's hawk so I stung heavy monofiliment line over much of the chicken yard as a deterrent--figuring at least it would give the chickens some cover and slow the hawk down. This owl, somehow, got one wing tangled in one of the lines. I went up to the house, got my heavy mittens, came down, cover the bird with a towel, knelt in the snow and spent half an hour untangling the line. From what I could tell there was nothing broken but the bird had been struggling so it may have damage joints--it sat there very quietly as I untangle the fish-line. At any rate, once it was free it just perched on the sleeve of my coat and wouldn't fly. I let it stay there, walk the 100 yds or so to the house and called to my DW to bring a cat carrier. Loaded it into the carrier and took it to our vet who does bird rehabilitation. He will check it, make any repairs and either release it or turn it over to a full-time rehabilitater. It is a barred owl BTW and just a little to small to bother with full grown chickens.
Just me and my owl.
Now last summer I had problems with a Cooper's hawk so I stung heavy monofiliment line over much of the chicken yard as a deterrent--figuring at least it would give the chickens some cover and slow the hawk down. This owl, somehow, got one wing tangled in one of the lines. I went up to the house, got my heavy mittens, came down, cover the bird with a towel, knelt in the snow and spent half an hour untangling the line. From what I could tell there was nothing broken but the bird had been struggling so it may have damage joints--it sat there very quietly as I untangle the fish-line. At any rate, once it was free it just perched on the sleeve of my coat and wouldn't fly. I let it stay there, walk the 100 yds or so to the house and called to my DW to bring a cat carrier. Loaded it into the carrier and took it to our vet who does bird rehabilitation. He will check it, make any repairs and either release it or turn it over to a full-time rehabilitater. It is a barred owl BTW and just a little to small to bother with full grown chickens.
Just me and my owl.
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