Owl! Big Owl!

[Nambroth]

Shocked. I would not have thought this, but it seems hennypenny, you could be right.... http://www.animallaw.info/statutes/stusok29_5_410.htm

This is very strange-- the laws protecting owls are federal, and state laws are not supposed to be able to trump them. Perhaps this is with permit in hand? I would tread very, very carefully here.

But, that aside, even if you do legally dispose of the owl, you still have a chicken and guinea buffet in your trees and yard every night! It is only a matter of time before something else harasses or takes your birds. In my thoughts, it is much wiser to make sure your birds roost securely inside a coop at night to keep them safe, and enjoy the free pest control and beauty that the owl(s) in your area offer.

 

[hennypenny99]

The chickens will go to the coop at night but I will not coop my guineas up. I bought the guineas because I wanted them to free range on our property. They eat a ton of bugs and act as watchdogs and are so entertaining. Our property is 200 acres and the guineas roam at least 5 to 10 acres of it. They spend all day long chasing each other and catching bugs. They are very happy guineas and I know if I were to put them in a coop they would be miserable. I am just going to accept the fact that predators are going to eat them now & then. I'm sure this spring some of them will raise some keets and my little flock will grow. Hopefully I won't lose them all but if I do I just won't have guineas anymore because I don't want guineas if I have to keep them in a pen.

Guineas are nothing like chickens. I sat outside the other day with a glass of sweet iced tea and laughed and laughed at my guineas. One of the males was chasing a female and they ran 8 laps around the house like it was a racetrack. When the male would get too far behind her she would stop, look back and run at him. Just before she got to him she would stop and take off running again. They made a few more laps around the house with her teasing him and then they switched directions and started running the other direction for at least 6 more laps. I just can't pen them. They would have no way to release all that energy and would become aggressive.

So I will install the predator lights in hopes that that helps. I did put up my game camera in a different spot. Now it's on the light pole facing the camper he has been landing on. I hope I can get some good pictures of him. I really would like to know what kind of owl it is.

 

[hennypenny99]

If I could find a way to get my guineas to sleep in a coop just at night I would love that. I just haven't found a way to train my screaming demons yet.

I

 

[hennypenny99]

better idea go redneck when hawks where trying to get my chicks after throwing tennes ball at it , it flew away try that.

Haha! You are going to laugh at me but I have considered playing the radio under the tree at night. It wouldnt bother the guineas because they are used to people but the owl might not like it?

 

[centrarchid]

If owl visits become too costly, then you may be able to make it more difficult for them by arranging a roost setup the guinees can access but owl may have trouble figuring out.

During summer production season my young birds are free-ranged and GHO's do try to work on them. I have had success with making roosts that can be accessed only from below kind of like towers used by forest service to monitor fires. Chickens, and possibly guinees, can figure it out. Owls will still visit and pick off dummies but losses will be less. Birds will also have good ventilation which is major issue for my birds on hot summer nights.

 

[centrarchid]

Haha! You are going to laugh at me but I have considered playing the radio under the tree at night. It wouldnt bother the guineas because they are used to people but the owl might not like it?

Radios do not seem to work, tried it multiple times. Exception involved radio placed amoung horse stalls where chickens roosted. People working horses at all hours of day made it difficult for predators to figure out if people present or not.

If radio were to work, sound may need to be some sort of noise rather than music or voices.

 

[hennypenny99]

The game camera got a pic last night but I can't tell what is. It would have to be the owl, but it looks like a furry ball?

Who is good at editing pics? Maybe you can work some magic?

The second pic was taken during the day today and I don't know what set it off but I put it on here so you can see what the camera is pointed at and were the owl is. At least I think it's the owl. Maybe I will get a better pic tonight. It almost looks like a racoon?

 

[centrarchid]

First image looks like owl is in process (reason for fuzziness) of bending down to look into lower corner of image either because just landed or preparing to take off.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Looks to me like either a young raccoon or a possum.

 

[nthehunt]

light colored fur I'm gonna say possom