Our first predator: an owl killed four

[Pequena Bandada]

Sourland - you were right. I went out to check on the coop tonight about 1/2 hour after the sun set and sure enough, the owl was sitting on the ground just outside the run looking in. When he heard me he flew up into a nearby tree and he's been there ever since. My husband and I have gone out to check three times and the owl just sits there watching us. I'm thinking he might be perfect for night time target practice...

There's no way he'll get back into the run. My husband was even more upset than I (I think he was offended that his awesome coop and run were breached), so he spent the afternoon reinforcing the top of the run with 2x4s and left over chain link fencing. Even the largest owl won't be able to break through all of the extra stuff up top now.

 

[sourland]

Sometimes I hate it when I am right, but I know how they operate.

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

Pequeña Bandada :

Sourland - you were right. I went out to check on the coop tonight about 1/2 hour after the sun set and sure enough, the owl was sitting on the ground just outside the run looking in. When he heard me he flew up into a nearby tree and he's been there ever since. My husband and I have gone out to check three times and the owl just sits there watching us. I'm thinking he might be perfect for night time target practice...

There's no way he'll get back into the run. My husband was even more upset than I (I think he was offended that his awesome coop and run were breached), so he spent the afternoon reinforcing the top of the run with 2x4s and left over chain link fencing. Even the largest owl won't be able to break through all of the extra stuff up top now.

know what you mean by target practice, there have been many times I wish I had a paint ball gun, my owls are back 3-4 days out of the week, but they nest across the road. last night there where 3 of them hooting in the trees, the one good thing is, when they can't get my birds (I loose maybe 1 or 2 a year now) they keep the rabbit population down​

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I agree, owls and other raptors aren't generally wholesale killers. I suspect since they couldn't get away from the owl, the chickens panicked and actually killed themselves in the process. Yours is a cautionary tale, however, about keeping ones chickens tightly locked up a night and being careful when releasing them in the morning. While automatic pop doors are nice, they also may open when you really don't want them to.

 

[sourland]

Several years ago in Central Park ducks were being found with their heads removed. Initially "satanic ritual" activity was suspected because of the large numbers involved. It was determined that I was indeed a GHO making multiple killings and eating the "good stuff." Multiple killings is not abnormal behavior from GHO. They will also exhibit this behavior when killing cottontail rabbits in a natural environment. This I know from personal observation.

 

[country lady]

"I feel like I failed my chickens."---------Pequena, that must be a common feeling because when a hawk killed my three remaining chickens I felt I let my ladies down by not protecting them better even though they were penned and always secure at night. We have a tractor coop with plastic fencing which isn't covered over head. Nothing funnier than to see the hens run out of their coop into tall fresh grass--it was bottoms up! They were so spoiled by good grazing, moving their coop/fence around a big grassy lawn. Animal attacks are so vicious too. If I get chicks in the spring, the fencing will be covered over head.