bald eagle attack experience

[klf73]

I have lost 9 hens, 6 bodies missing, over 2 weeks, 2 attacks. 3 hens each attack are gone. I do have one that lived but she had a hole in her back. I have been at a loss at to what is causing the damage. Haven't heard any coyotes, the places where they disappear from are just puffs of feathers. Was told hawks do that but my girls are extrememly heavy and there is no way the hawks we have here can carry them away. I finally decided after a couple weeks to let my girls out today. I heard a lot of noise and come outside and couldn't find anything. While I was standing there a huge shadow went over me, it's a bald eagle. It is now about 100yds away in the top of a tree, probably waiting for me to leave. Can a bald eagle take 3 hens? I am not asking all at once but if it had time could it take one and come back and grab a couple more? I don't know if this is just coincidence. I am so irritated as I can't get it to leave and I had somewhere to go....seems to be who can wait out who...girls won't go back to their pen either, probably figure they have been locked up enough in their minds...

 

[chickenlady08]

I am thinking that a bald eagle is a huge massive bird. I think that they would not have any problem picking off your birds. I am so sorry for all of your loses. I hope you can keep them safe inside their run because the eagle will keep coming back until there is nothing else to eat. Please if possible get them inside their runs and leave them there.

 

[klf73]

yeah, they have free ranged for the past 2 years and are not happy about being penned up. They were going stir crazy so I let them out for a while today, am regretting that now

. I wish I could collect them all and lock them up but they won't let me near them, they are mad at me....
I never even thought of the eagle as I hadn't seen any this year...

 

[BC Gal]

They can, but they need a long distance to swoop down, grab, then go back up. They are not agile birds that can change direction quickly. There are lots of bald eagles in my area, and I have never had a problem, but the chicken run is narrow and has a small tree in it, and the yard is not open (full of trees, bushes, etc.).

 

[Imp]

Yes Bald Eagles will take full grown chickens, The cats too, although your beagles are probably safe.
A couple weeks ago I was weeding outside and I saw off in the distance a large bird headed my way. As it got closer it went behind a large pine tree in a neighbors yard. Just then i saw it over in another part of the sky. Huh! Then realized there were 2 eagles soaring together. They came down lower and just above treetop circled over the houses on my street. I then thought I might not be able to stop them from grabbing one of my chickens. I turned around and What! No chickens in the yard, No cats in the yard, and the coop had been disguised.

Guess they were faster on the uptake then I was. No sign of chickens or cats and the area was eerily quiet, until the Eagles left.

Imp- Where I grew up seemed like once a year we'd hear of tourists letting their little dogs out and them getting snatched by a eagle.

 

[lacasitarojafarm]

I had an eagle take two chickens in one day in front of my daughters. Yes, they just leave a puff of feathers. I found where the eagle was nesting (in a tree on the edge of our property) becasue my daughters found one of the Buff Orp's that it took's wings on the ground under that tree. Your eagle must have a nest nearby with chicks in order to be taking that may birds or maybe there are not enough fish in your area? Mine hasn't been back. We put out a scarecrow and a wind mobile and that seems to have done it.

 

[Lbrad7]

It drives me crazy when I see or hear wildlife officials say that hawks or eagles can't physically carry even a small chicken off when I have actually seen Red Tails carry off 16 week old Buff Rocks. I also saw a show on Discovery a few years ago where eagles were snatching baby mountain goats off of ledges. They did drop a few but managed to carry a few off as well!

If an eagle can lift a baby goat, I don't think it would have any trouble carrying off even a heavy breed chicken.

Sorry for your loss. I hope you can figure out what is taking your birds.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Quote:

these are golden eagles your refering to and that is exactly how they kill there prey.