Any advice for dealing with bald eagles?

[Trish1974]

I do keep my flock in a secured, covered run with the top of the run being covered with Tenax Deer Fence (700lb break strength). It is true deer fence, not the flimsy netting they sell in stores. Here recently I have a 1 1/2 yr old female bald eagle and a 3 1/2 yr old male (I'm guessing sex based on their size as the younger one is obviously bigger than the more mature one) circling my property and landing in trees close to my chicken run sending the girls into an absolute panic. When I'm home to see it, I will run outside and hoop and holler but the eagles don't scare as easily as hawks do, and I have to get right up on them before they fly away. (Its almost like they know they are protected!)

I've seen a TON of posts regarding hawk attacks and how to deter them, but things like hanging CDs, fake owls, etc don't even phase bald eagles. Like I said, I barely phase the eagles! My fear is one is going to try to go through the top of the run one of these days, and I'm not a physics expert to calculate whether or not an x-lb eagle flying at x-mph from x-feet high can break through my 700 lb. strength fence. If anyone out there has experience dealing with eagles and have any magic tips I'd love to hear them.

 

[BullChick]

Does animal control relocate them?

 

[Trish1974]

A few years back a friend of mine 30 miles north of here had eagles killing her chickens, and she called DNR to see if they would remove them and they told her no, that she would just have to deal with it! That ended her free-ranging days.
**Edited to add: The eagles were even building a nest right next to her house and she told DNR she was worried about her pug dogs, and again they said "tough you have to let them nest there." Luckily her and her husband were outside enough to disturb the eagles and they left that nest and built a new one elsewhere.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Get a good camera with a long lens, take lots of pictures and make into a calendar.

Keep chickens locked up.

Gary

 

[lazy gardener]

Call your local game rangers or DNR and ask for advice. I doubt that they will try your netting. BOP are not willing to risk injury by flying into a barrier or even a place that will restrict their take off.

My greater concern is how your netting will hold up to a snow load. Heavy wet snow may take it down.

 

[Trish1974]

My greater concern is how your netting will hold up to a snow load. Heavy wet snow may take it down.

Believe it or not it holds up really well. The squares are big enough that it doesn't hold snow.

 

[Folly's place]

All raptors are federally protected in the USA. Enjoy seeing our national birds__ up close and personal!__ It's 'mass x velocity squared = energy/ force applied'. I don't think eagles hunt like peregrine falcons! Eagles swoop, so much lower velocity. Your run cover should be fine. Maybe add some shelters for the birds in there to hide under, so they can feel safer.
Your visiting eagles won't get dinner at your house, and will likely move on to a better hunting area, like our local hawks.
We now have some eagles here, but mostly they are getting fish, and carrion.
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

What are the square sizes? I live in snow country, and have to take my netting down every fall, and put it back up again in the spring, limiting the flock to a single bay of the run which is covered with 2 x 4 welded fencing.

 

[lazy gardener]

Your run cover should be fine. Maybe add some shelters for the birds in there to hide under, so they can feel safer.

 

[Trish1974]

What are the square sizes? I live in snow country, and have to take my netting down every fall, and put it back up again in the spring, limiting the flock to a single bay of the run which is covered with 2 x 4 welded fencing.

I believe they are one inch squares. Big enough for sparrows to get through (unfortunately). This is its second winter and still holding up very well. We never got more than 5" of snow (at one time) last year and a 3" snow a couple weeks ago. Earlier this spring a 60 mph wind dropped a HUGE tree limb on top of the run. Sagged it a little but didn't tear or ruin it. There is a HUGE difference in true deer fence and deer "netting". Unfortunately a big difference in price, too..