OWlS how to stop them???

[centrarchid]

Are your birds roosting right up next to sides of pen?

 

[Lbrad7]

If he is that bold and comes in that close to you, I think you could get a great deal of satisfaction by picking up a Louisville Slugger and if you get him with a Swwweeet Albert Pujols swing, you could put his a#@ back up on the roof of that pole barn. You might even clear it if the wind is blowing out!!!

Good luck to you!!!! Hope you figure out a way to stop him. I know the kinds of birds you are raising are not cheap!!!

 

[CMV]

If you figure out a way to stop him let us know how you managed it. I had a duck get snapped up last year by a hawk. The hawk attacked through the side of the electric mesh fence, avoiding both the fishing lines strung across the top and the nasty shock from the fence by not being grounded (aerial attack). It really irked me that the duck got killed because I was sure I had all my bases covered. I haven't had an attack since, but I know my set-up is vulnerable to the same type of attack in the future. I haven't figured out a way to remedy the situation, though.

I am sorry for your losses. Good luck.

 

[J3172]

Thanks to all who posted, I will keep you guys updated. And I waited for him one night with the intentions of driving him off, but he came in and was gone so fast. The cage is under a light that turns on when it gets dark, and the sucker flies out of the darkness and all you see is him spreading his wings out and hiting the cage, sometimes he gets lucky sometimes not, but it happens so fast, I wouldn't want to shoot a bird of prey do to the the laws and it's not worth it, even though I think it's stupid I'm doing everything possible and cant even protect my livestock. But anyway I don't think I could even shoot him if i wanted too. he comes in out of the darkness, and is gone back into the darkness just as fast.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'm doing everything possible and cant even protect my livestock

You need to make the pen stronger, and possibly DOUBLE the walls so it cant reach them.
If the owl is getting in and carrying away birds, the pen is the problem.​

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Quote:
CMV hun all you need to do is goto lowes or home depot and buy that guardening wire stuff its plastic and inexpensive take a few posts and set it aprox 4-5 inches away from your outer fencing so that if a hawk flys at the fence he is absorbed by the plastic. we use sain nets so if a hawk owl does strike that way it gets tangled in it and it has tons of lead weights on it and since its illegal to harm them or touch them you can just kinda sit back and laugh at em till they finally keel over from lack of food water ect. Cruel punishment you say? well the law says I cant touch it or provoke it wasnt my fualt it got caught in the net. so best I just walk away and leave it be.

 

[centrarchid]

I am inclined to agree with Bear Foot Farm, cage is problem if great horned owl is predator. Reinforcing walls needed. Also consider breaking line of site such that when your birds sitting on roost, they are not visible to owl. What I was looking for in your pen description is how roosting pole / stick is attached to rest of pen. If your birds able to roost right next to wall, it makes it easier for owl to distort coop wire or reach through. Could you set up roost so it hangs like a swing from ceiling and is at least 18" from pen wall?

In your case, could the owl be perching on same stick as your bird and then reaching through with bill or talons? You made no description of what material walls are made of.

 

[sourland]

With penned game birds, a horned owl will hit the fencing to get them flying. When they hit a part of the fence, he will instantaneously hit the fence killing by impact. If a bird sticks its head through the fence, the owl will decapitate it. Many birds will break their necks by hitting the fence. Peafowl and pheasants will utilize an open front stock shed if they are attacked enough. Such a shed might provide night time protection for you. This may be a case for extreme measures! MMpoultry farms has a good suggestion about using a seine net or some net that the owl can get caught in. That should convince him that attacking your birds is a bad idea. Not your fault if he becomes entangled.

 

[J3172]

the sides are 1" pvc coated chicken wire, I moved all the perch away from the put side, And he does hit the side and gets them flying, I had to put a cover over the pen, now I have to worry about snow, I've seen were he hits the net and make the birds fly I had one bird with just a broken neck, and now that I have the top netting covered he cant pull them through but I still get birds that have big talon holes in them. I was looking for more advice around the lines of, like for hawks I heard if you hang CDs it can help.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I do not think string will work on great horned owl. They are too hard headed.

Reads like owl gets birds like red foxes get my chickens, the predator gets prey to get too close to cage material either for impact induced by prey or so predator can pull prey through.

Break line of sight! Owl is visual on large prey.

Where owl flushes your birds, place a piece of plywood. Plastic tarp may also work. Both will operate like covered shed.

Seine on outside making double panel a good idea also. I recommend a four to six inch gap between sein and coop wire. First owls vision will be obstructed and much of impact force will be absorbed by seine before impacting coop mesh. I doubt owl will become entangled. If spending money on seine material, make certain it is coated for UV protection. Increases life from two years to five years. Memphis Net and Twine might make something suitable form your needs.