We spotted him! While I was tracking a coyote across the field I heard the tarp on the pen fluff up like the wind caught it. Funny, no wind. Anita came over and held the spotlight while I got the telescope (upside down and backwards- but still looks right in the coop) into position. There he was hopping from side to side, and over the nights body count (3 by the way). He looked trapped. Anita ran out with the camera and a flashlight while I kept him distracted by the light (brave of me, eh?). She got stationed there and held the light on him while I made my way out. We snapped a few pictures while the beast was planning it’s next evil move. We had to open the tarp to give him room to fly out. Trust me it is difficult to facilitate the escape of an owl that has accounted for some pretty heavy losses. All predatory birds are protected so we will just have to make a better coop in the future. Unfortunately, this owl will have had the taste for chicken and will know where to get it.
Our best guess is that the owl got in through a small gap in the tarp (4 inches maybe). Then the chicks piled up underneath the gap while the owl was munching on necks. Then with the terrified chickens blocking the escape route the rat was trapped. We secured things a bit differently and called it a night. Hopefully, the coyote that I was spotting earlier will not be back tomorrow!
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