The Moonshiner's Leghorns

[WallyG74]

I've had quite a few GHOs here too.
View attachment 4249491
We call them Headhunters because my boy was very confused about something just taking birds heads off and leaving the rest.
The first time I saw one something was killing free-range juvenile mallards. I was setting on the back porch drinking coffee right before sunrise. One came from over the house and swooped down just above me then landed on a gate post. Ya it seemed huge and I was amazed how silent it was in flight.
The pic was from years later. I had open top juvenile pens in the barn. Had a half feral.cat problem so as a quick fix I put bird netting across the pens.
Ya I was quite surprised to walk up to see that in the pen. It crashed through the netting and couldn't find its way out. I used a long handled net at first to try to herd it out the door. That didn't work and had it in a fighting mood.
He was making the weirdest clicking noise with his beak. Reminded me of the Predator. Spooky. Plan B was to get it into a wire cage I had to transfer chickens in. It had a good size door so I tried to put it over him then I was pull the door shut with a string while I flipped it. He got cornered then grapped the cage with his talons. It took quite a while to finally get him caught. I.hate them.

I remember that guy!

 

[McChooky]

Our property meets a woodline on two sides, so there are lots of trees for them to roost in. Free-ranging is not suitable for everyone's situation and I get that completely. Especially if you live in a varmint infested area and have no LGDs to protect your birds. We live way out in the country and don't have neighbors very close. We like free ranging our chickens because they require less feed, are healthier, and lay more eggs free-ranging, which is common sense. The more they forage, the more nutritious their diet becomes, which makes them eat less feed and lay more eggs. Gaps in nutrition, lack of adequate space, lack of exercise and mental enrichment, and overcrowding cause the majority of issues one might encounter when raising chickens, such as feather picking, low egg production, fatty liver (visceral fat), etc. By free-ranging, you provide a chicken with a more natural environment, complete nutrition from foraging, and plenty of space for exercise. Foraging also provides mental enrichment. Birds we catch up that have been free-ranging at any given time are fit and muscular and have a good body condition. A leaner, more muscular body from active foraging contributes to less fat around the abdomen/vent and reduces issues encountered with egg laying. Mind you, we pen keep a lot of birds too, mainly the breeders, so not all birds can be free ranged, especially if you intend to selectively breed them. But there are loads of benefits to free-ranging if one is able to. Sorry for rambling.

My flock was contained until I trained both of my dogs to protect them and sound alerts.I also added a rooster and some leghorns.Its been an interesting journey!

 

[McChooky]

I've had quite a few GHOs here too.
View attachment 4249491
We call them Headhunters because my boy was very confused about something just taking birds heads off and leaving the rest.
The first time I saw one something was killing free-range juvenile mallards. I was setting on the back porch drinking coffee right before sunrise. One came from over the house and swooped down just above me then landed on a gate post. Ya it seemed huge and I was amazed how silent it was in flight.
The pic was from years later. I had open top juvenile pens in the barn. Had a half feral.cat problem so as a quick fix I put bird netting across the pens.
Ya I was quite surprised to walk up to see that in the pen. It crashed through the netting and couldn't find its way out. I used a long handled net at first to try to herd it out the door. That didn't work and had it in a fighting mood.
He was making the weirdest clicking noise with his beak. Reminded me of the Predator. Spooky. Plan B was to get it into a wire cage I had to transfer chickens in. It had a good size door so I tried to put it over him then I was pull the door shut with a string while I flipped it. He got cornered then grapped the cage with his talons. It took quite a while to finally get him caught. I.hate them.

When they land on my cat cages they terrify the cats (the cages are attached to the house so the cats run inside)One of my neighbors called the other night to let me know one was outside.They thought it was after the chickens but it was after kittens

 

[BlueBaby]

When they land on my cat cages they terrify the cats (the cages are attached to the house so the cats run inside)One of my neighbors called the other night to let me know one was outside.They thought it was after the chickens but it was after kittens

They will eat anything they can get those talons on and lift. Some of the owls here have a pretty good wing span.

 

[WallyG74]

Had a half feral.cat problem

Front half or back half?

 

[NagemTX]

They will eat anything they can get those talons on and lift. Some of the owls here have a pretty good wing span.

I wonder if they would tackle a 10lb cat. It was about the right time of day that my cat disappeared about 4 to 5 weeks ago.

 

[BlueBaby]

I wonder if they would tackle a 10lb cat. It was about the right time of day that my cat disappeared about 4 to 5 weeks ago.

If the owl was big enough it could.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Front half or back half?

Top half

 

[McChooky]

I wonder if they would tackle a 10lb cat. It was about the right time of day that my cat disappeared about 4 to 5 weeks ago.

Watch videos on YouTube: Eagles,owls,bob cats,coons,coyotes,etc.... All our rescue cats and personal pets have catio cages attached to the house now.I do not ever let any of them run free ever. Predators will eat a cat just as quick as they'll eat a chicken especially a kitten

 

[KF0002]

I've had quite a few GHOs here too.
View attachment 4249491
We call them Headhunters because my boy was very confused about something just taking birds heads off and leaving the rest.
The first time I saw one something was killing free-range juvenile mallards. I was setting on the back porch drinking coffee right before sunrise. One came from over the house and swooped down just above me then landed on a gate post. Ya it seemed huge and I was amazed how silent it was in flight.
The pic was from years later. I had open top juvenile pens in the barn. Had a half feral.cat problem so as a quick fix I put bird netting across the pens.
Ya I was quite surprised to walk up to see that in the pen. It crashed through the netting and couldn't find its way out. I used a long handled net at first to try to herd it out the door. That didn't work and had it in a fighting mood.
He was making the weirdest clicking noise with his beak. Reminded me of the Predator. Spooky. Plan B was to get it into a wire cage I had to transfer chickens in. It had a good size door so I tried to put it over him then I was pull the door shut with a string while I flipped it. He got cornered then grapped the cage with his talons. It took quite a while to finally get him caught. I.hate them.

We have had run-ins with them also. There are a pair at least that live and nest close to our property because we hear them hooting in the night to one another. They likely do pick off a few chickens a year, but not enough that we notice much (I know that sounds horrible!). We raise an overabundance of chickens, so when we lose a few to predators, the surplus numbers softens the blow quite a bit. My husband caught one once on a pole with a steel trap at the top. We had a worse issue with them on the property where we use to live. They don't cause much bother now that we know of. I jokingly say that if predators pick off a few, it saves us the trouble of culling through them so much. lol Nature does the culling for us.