Behaviour – Owl Chatter

When I was younger my family owned (or rather saved from slaughter) a flock of chickens. We were very fond of these chickens therefore our biggest concern was Mr fox coming around and harming them! Any chicken owner knows of the endless battle it takes to keep your chickens safe from the local fox but while searching googles frequently asked questions regarding owls, I saw that people also wonder if owls will pose a threat? This isn’t something my family ever personally dealt with but the question is an interesting one. Therefore, the question I will be answering in this post is… Do owls eat chickens? in short, the answer is yes, they do but they aren’t a chicken’s biggest predator. Owls should be considered a threat to your chickens if larger owl species have been identified in your local area. Keep your chickens locked away in a safe coop with a roof when it is dark to ensure they are safe. Owls come in lots of different sizes and some are considered large birds of prey such as the Great Horned owl, the Snowy owl and the Eagle owl. These larger owl species are extremely strong and can carry up to three times their own body weight. Owls also eat a mainly carnivorous diet as most of their diet consists of small mammals and other small birds but that isn’t to say that a chicken isn’t an option as owls have been known to hunt bats, rabbits, cats, small dogs and even small deer! Therefore, if the owl can carry the chicken then it is an option for dinner. We know that a large owl will have no problem carrying that weight but just to be sure lets do the maths... An average adult hen weights between 2.5kg and 4kg. An average Great Horned owl weighs 1.4kg - able to carry weights up to 4.2kg An average Snowy owl weighs 2.3kg - able to carry weights up to 6.9kg An average Eagle owl weighs 2.7 kg - able to carry weights up to 8.1kg Therefore all three of these large owls would be able to carry off an average adult hen, many with ease. This is not to say that owls are a major threat to chickens specifically if you lock them away safely at night. Owls are mostly active at night and therefore this is when they hunt. If the chickens are not in sight then the owl is of no threat, unlike the cunning Mr Fox who snoops around the area of a chicken hut, owls are likely to just move on. Ideal chicken coop for a safe nights sleep! The previously mentioned Great Horned owl is a good example of a larger species of owl that may consider a chicken for dinner. Great horned owls are mostly found in woods and grassland areas and therefore if this fits the area your chickens are kept in, it is likely they could be around. If you have seen large owls active in your area, keep the risk in mind when leaving chickens unattended or when they are loose in the dark. Owls will move silently in the dark and attack the chickens from the sky with their talons. The owl would then most likely attempt to carry the chicken back to their nest site. Otherwise, they may tear the chicken apart and eat the prey right there and nobody wants to find their beloved chicken in this state especially if the owl killed the chicken and then abandoned the meal once realising its too difficult to carry or they lose interest in the meal. This is a cruel end for any of our pets and must be avoided! How to protect chickens from owls (and any other predator)? Use a roofed chicken coop - Chickens should be kept in a safely locked coop that has a roof as soon as it begins to get dark. This will protect them from predators but also harsh temperatures and heavy rainfall/snowfall. Fences may help protect owls from ground predators but will not protect chickens from owls as they will hunt from above. That is why it is vital for the coop to have a roof and be entirely closed in. Install lights near the chicken coop - This will help to deter predators. Owls hunt in the dark as a preference so bright lights will hopefully sway them away from the area. If you cannot easily invest in a coop with a roof or perhaps it is damaged for a period of time, ensure to install a fence and bright lights to help manage the risk of an owl attack. I wouldn’t recommend motion sensor lights as they can often react too late once the owl has already struck. Motion sensor lights can also disturb your chickens sleep, it is best to have an atmosphere that is constant e.g. a constant light on outside their coop. The chickens will still have enough darkness for sound sleep within a locked coop. Get a rooster! - Ensure your flock of chickens have a rooster who can warn the rest of the flock if a predator is nearby. Roosters will make noise when they are fearful or worried and can deter predators with this noise. Even if the noise doesn’t scare off an owl, it certainly warns the other chickens so they have a chance to flee as they may not hear an incoming owl due to their silent flight. Please always remember, the aim is to protect the chickens and put safety measures in place to ensure they are not harmed. The aim is NOT to harm the predators. These animals are just doing as the animal kingdom has always done and following their natural instincts to find their next dinner. They are not pets and therefore need to hunt for their food! Their attack on your pet is not a personal attack and they do not deserve to be harmed for just wanting to survive. It is illegal to harm or kill a bird of prey which includes owls and this can result in jail time or a fine. Therefore, I can confirm that owls can and do eat chickens but this is relatively rare. Chickens are much more at risk from predators such as foxes, raccoons, cats, dogs etc but it is always best to be cautious for the wellbeing of your flock and never rule out the possibility of an owl attack! After all… owls can certainly be large enough and strong enough to attack and carry away a chicken so why not be aware of this risk! Owls are after all, opportunistic omnivores who will attack anything convenient if it is accessible and possible. I hope this post has been helpful and I hope your chickens always remain safe :)