This may be the craziest idea I've ever had...or not

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

I'm thinking of taking up the ancient sport of falconry. Now you might ask why would any sane person who keeps chickens want to keep a raptor on his property. I was at a kite festival last summer that also happened to be a sanctuary for birds of prey. Miss Ohio was not impressed, but I got to talking with some of the bird's keepers about them.

These raptors are territorial, so they will chase off other birds of prey, including owls. They will control the rodent population in their hunting area as well. I'm looking into getting a possesion permit for a peregrine falcon, & then building an appropriate outdoor shelter for it. Then I would let the falcon out for an hour or so twice every day to hunt & establish it's territory. Of course my chooks would be inside during these times.

What do you all think?

 

[s6bee]

Hey you never know. It might work. I guess if you keep it full and happy it may not hunt your flock. Kind of like sharks in an aquarium. They are fed frequently so they don't hunt and kill the other fishies it the tank?
I say if you're up to it go for it.

 

[Justino]

ive always thought falconty was the cooliest thingy ever!!!i LOVE periguin falcons!

 

[patandchickens]

what do you all think?

Undoubtedly this is not what you want to hear but since you asked,

a) I think it's a really crummy life for a bird of prey to be forced to lead,

and b) I have this strong feeling that at best all you'd achieve is to kill the two mice or voles dumb enough to be out when the falcon is let out for exercise, and quite possibly you'd drive out other hawks etc from the area thus actually *increasing* whatever rodent problems you have.

<shrug>

Also I think if you have that much change burning a hole in your pocket and you like big birds with pointy feet that much, a better way to use it would be to donate to a group that works on augmenting wild populations of endangered raptors such as peregrines, or to a bird of prey rehabilitation facility. Just a thought.

JMO,


Pat​

 

[TransplantedTexan]

I have always been interested in this as well, and considered trying it too.
The thing that has kept me from trying it is that the process is rather intensive, and heavily regulated here in the states.
http://wisconsinfalconers.org/index_files/page0006.htm

What do you have to do there in Canada to get started?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I think once your housechooks see some pointy toed, good-for-nothing, non-egg-layer flitting around your property killing things and not sharing them, Miss Ohio will lead an uprising.

Also, do you think some stuck-up eagle beak is going to pull chariots and fly kites for you?

Just scratch for though...

 

[LittleChickenRacingTeam]

I respect your views patandchickens. I'm looking for all input before I decide. I actually made a donation to the centre I visited up in Woodbridge near you. I'm leaning more to obtaining a rehabilitated bird that could not be released back into the wild, rather than trapping a juvenile bird. It is quite a time & financial obligation to take on a rescue bird, & i'm trying to look into all angles before making the commitment.

You should actually visit the centre sometime. I think it's less than an hour from you.

http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/programs/education/edcentre.html

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yeah, we've been there, it is pretty neat!

I am still skeptical of how well a captive falcon, perhaps especially a rehab, would do in keeping down rodents an hour or two per day. And unless they are turning down birds because they don't have space to keep them I still really question whether this is appropriate as a hobby thing.

Pat

 

[Lunachick]

Birds of prey are beautiful creatures. But so are the lowly and innocent chickens.

I think you should do what you want, especially since you put so much thought into it.

 

[xke4]

I am presenty enrolled in a course so that I can do more with the birds of prey this summer at our rehab centre. I am unsure in what way an unreleasable bird would be of any use to effectively keep other predatory birds away or to keep the rodent population down to any measurable degree. If they could do that, we would release them.