chickens killed during the day

[Marianne]

My guess is racoons. Around here they seem to just want the head. Sorry for your loss...

 

[Beekissed]

From what you have described it sounds like an owl...and yes, they do come out in the daytime. When we set a trap once for what we thought was a coon or possum, we got our culprit...an owl. Not a good thing. We never set anymore traps after that. This is when I was growing up and we were still learning about the ins and outs of predators and chickens.

The only full grown chicken I've lost in the past 5-6 years was to an owl and it also had only its head missing. Might want to string some fishing line back and forth over your pen~or even place plastic deer netting~ to prevent further aerial attacks.

 

[the funny farm6]

the coop run is made of 3- 6X10 ft 6ft tall chain link dog pens. I guess I will go out today and string fishing line across the top and see if that deters them. We have had coons kill before, but they made such a mess in the coop! Looked like they must have killed 5-6 chickens when it was only 1 there were so many feathers. And they made a small hole under where 2 of the kennel pannels come together, and I but bricks under each of those (and I had to dig down a bit to fit them in there) so they won't get pulled out easy. That wasn't very long ago- and we got him (rip). This is the first one we have lost during the day.

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine that lives40 mi south of us looked out her kitchen window and saw a bald eagle in a tree eating one of her rhode island reds! But we have yet to see any eagles this year.

 

[the funny farm6]

Ok so... how do you "trap" an owl??? We have lost 4 now 5 chickens in the past month. Most have been if I go out kinda late to lock them up. And we can hear them at night. But can't see them- we don't have a spot light strong enuff to see them to ummm.... "scare them". Away. We were told by our un freindly conservation lier ( mean officer) that it is illegle to do anything to the owls even if they are killing livestock, becouse they are protected. Well SSS.

 

[Beekissed]

Unless by sheer accident, as ours occurred, it is not lawful to trap an owl. One can only provide stopgaps to protect your chickens from predators...like dogs free ranging with the flock, hides under which the chickens can duck, a good and watchful roo to sound the alarm, no stooping to pick up your birds so often that they grow accustomed to shadows from above, etc. Breed for flighty, wary birds who are watchful when free ranging, keep your survivors and breed from their stock so they will teach their young the same level of wariness, etc.

If penned, one can stretch plastic netting over the penned area, string fishing line, or some folks have had good luck with placing the shiny whirly-gigs around their chicken's living areas.

 

[hqueen13]

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine that lives40 mi south of us looked out her kitchen window and saw a bald eagle in a tree eating one of her rhode island reds! But we have yet to see any eagles this year.

If that only happened 40 miles from you, then it wouldn't surprise me if you could have them in your area, too. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they aren't there. We have them in fairly urban areas here in MD, of course most of that is due to the chesapeake.

And yes, Owls are protected. I guess I don't blame them if they want an easy meal, or really blame any animal...

Good luck, covering the run would probably be the easiest thing to do.