Horned owl (nothing bad happened)

[KyCoop]

I was out feeding and watering around 645 I was talking to the babies in the coop and the ladies were out in the chicken yard. All of a sudden the crows start going off. I look around and there is the biggest owl I've ever seen in a tree about 30 yards away! That thing was ginormous! I do a fast head count 1,2,3,4,5 and grab a weapon (the poop scoop rake) I don't think it was looking at my ladies. I'm not sure what direction it was facing. A couple of crows and a mocking bird drove it off.
I've never seen one before. It was beautiful and frightening.

 

[Debbie292d]

We have one around here. The farmer neighbor who has all of her chickens fenced in told me her rat population has gone way down.
It sits in the tree line between her place and a field. She's seen it swoop in a few times. I wish she'd get a picture as that has to be amazing. I only can hear it and thank goodness it's happy over there as our silkies free range. They don't like it here as we have guy wires from a tower and tons of lawn spinners.

 

[KyCoop]

I don't mind it being around as long as chicken heads are not on its menu. My fear is all the big raptors can hear the pullets in the coop and are coming around to see if any are grabable.

 

[BuddhaBob]

I was out feeding and watering around 645 I was talking to the babies in the coop and the ladies were out in the chicken yard. All of a sudden the crows start going off. I look around and there is the biggest owl I've ever seen in a tree about 30 yards away! That thing was ginormous! I do a fast head count 1,2,3,4,5 and grab a weapon (the poop scoop rake) I don't think it was looking at my ladies. I'm not sure what direction it was facing. A couple of crows and a mocking bird drove it off.
I've never seen one before. It was beautiful and frightening.

FYI, it's against federal law to harm birds of prey in the United States, including protecting your livestock. Even keeping the feathers of a found dead one is against federal law. Only legal alternative is prevention. Gotta admit, in the moment any one of us would probably grab something as well.

 

[KyCoop]

Yes thank you. Most chicken keepers are aware of the federal laws and raptors. Talk to me when you have been clipped at the knees by a diving hawk and tell me how next time you had something in your hands to deflect it.
Calm down. Nobody is hurting birds of prey.

 

[BuddhaBob]

Yes thank you. Most chicken keepers are aware of the federal laws and raptors. Talk to me when you have been clipped at the knees by a diving hawk and tell me how next time you had something in your hands to deflect it.
Calm down. Nobody is hurting birds of prey.

Perfectly calm. Just providing information. And I've dealt with wild animals all of my life. Hell I live less than a mile from a national forest. Birds of prey aren't that intimidating if you would have read you would have seen that I had said that most of us probably would have done something in the moment. Just had to read a little bit.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

that sounds so incredible. very special to see that!

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

I have never seen an owl in the daytime! I caught one on my camera overlooking the chicken yard once before, and upon going out there it was already on top of the chicken pen but was doing nothing but sitting there. It was a great horned owl and it was huge!