Owls

Be a while before he does that again!

You can usually tell when an owl takes one of your chickens.

He'll fly it up fifty feet or so, then drop the chicken like a bomb.

So if you find a big spash of feathers somewhere near your pen, with maybe part of a carcass in the middle, that's probably an owl kill.

They don't hunt much in the day, but an open topped run is a real invitation for them, especially around sunset before the chickens go to roost.

 

Cool pictures! (and thanks for posting them.)

I think the owl saw a mouse that was heading for your chicken feed.

 

I have three heavily wooded ares. Behind us is a huge forest of several hundred acres. Right now, we have 3 Barred Owls living in this area. I don't mind them. They keep the snakes down, and I fort up my chickens just prior to dusk. Being nocturnal, the owls have never bothered me yet. The coop is inside a covered run, so the chickies are safe. I've shot several large rattlesnakes out back. I have little children, I can not abide the risk snakes pose. JA

 

That owl may have been going after chickens but keep in mind when an owl flies it stays just 5 feet off the ground in open areas. That's probably why it ended up in the net and why you see a lot of owls dead on the highway and hit by the grill of a vehicle.

 

I'm sorry, but he's darned cute! Those big eyes!!! They're so great for keeping rodents and snakes down. As long as your babies are inside the coop at night and in a covered fenced run during the day, they'll be just fine. We have 2 eagles and some hawks hanging around my house lately. Glad my girls are tucked safe inside their run during the day. If they're outside to roam, I have our German Shep with them. She always lets me know if anything is remotely nearby. Good girl Lily!