| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| mamasunshine |
Posted - Oct 20 2009 : 7:47:37 PM
In the past week we have had 3 chickens disappear. Yesterday evening, we saw a coyote 10 ft. from our fence! That was with dogs right there barking and everything. Well, we now know what happened to the chickens. My husband went out to shoot it, but it ran away. There were 2 of them running away. So now are chickens are pinned up. Any advice about how to keep them safe? I want to let them out, but not with those coyotes. We have no problem with shooting them, but I doubt we'll see them again.
Juggling children and chickens while trying to find time to laze in the sun. |
| 12 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Oct 27 2009 : 10:15:03 AM
If you are interested in a wonderful guardian dog, google the "Anatolian Shepard", they will fiercely protect ALL of your livestock from ALL predators, including man.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| laurelwoodfairy |
Posted - Oct 27 2009 : 09:30:18 AM
We also have lost chickens to a coyote. The dogs would bark if they heard anything, but it didn't stop the marauders. We noticed that our Labrador was especially vigilant in chasing any predators back into the woods, so we decided instead of keeping him in his pen, we would let him stay out in the yard with the chickens. He hangs out with them and keeps an eye out for trouble. Since doing this we haven't had any losses. He comes back in when the chickens put themselves to bed for the night back over the fence into their barn. Our two goats sleep in there with them, so nothing comes in the pen. If you don't have a dog that will do this, try to find one that will. Obviously a fairly large breed that is not intimidated.
Love many, trust few, learn to paddle your own canoe. |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Oct 26 2009 : 09:00:10 AM
Megan, coyotes are extremly adaptable, they can/will live in big cities and desolute open country. They DO NOT move out, as man moves in. As long as man continues to encroach, ( building housing tracts that take up the wildlifes land) and leaves them no wear to go. Coyotes also breed according to food and water conditions, inother words, if food and water is scarce, no pups, if there is abundent food and water, lots and lots of pups. If someone around you is poisening the rodent populations, coyotes main live food source, they will come in closer and grab whats avalible. I am a firm beleiver in letting the eco-system take care of its self, but man continues to interupt the natural cycles, and throws everything into caous. Don't take me wrong, I WILL protect what is mine, and I do hunt, but when man does major alteration of the system, ( i.e., over building, trapping and poisening, re-routing waterways, etc ), hell will break loose.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| walkinwalkoutcattle |
Posted - Oct 26 2009 : 05:08:59 AM
We have recently began to see coyotes coming closer and closer to the house. This is NOT a good thing. We have steers now, but are planning to get bred cows before winter sets in.
I like the paintball gun idea, but we have 2 or 3 packs that we can hear at night, and one night last week one came very close to the house, we think. Our dogs were going NUTS in the middle of the night, and we couldnt' figure out what the cause of the raucous was. I believe it was a coyote.
This problem is new to us, as we've never had coyotes until 2-3 years ago.
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
| K-Falls Farmgirl |
Posted - Oct 25 2009 : 11:21:44 AM
Sadly I lost my first buff chicken this week to a preditor, I assume a coyote as we hear them often howling. Needless to say my 8 other hens are not happy being locked inside the Large back yard behind a 7 ft wood fence but I feel they are safer and the garden is plenty big for them to forage in, I do give them plenty water and goodies too...their hen studio is secure and roomy for 8 hens and I am hoping to keep them all safe now. They are good layers and we are only getting about 11-12 hours of daylight..5.Buffs, & 2australorps & one bardrock.
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
Klamath Falls "Charming Chicks Chapter" Mother Hen
Be sure to check us out
http://www.Klamathfallscharmingchicks.blogspot.com and my personal
Almost daily posts at:
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Grandmas are mom's with more icing. |
| mamasunshine |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 9:39:58 PM
Thanks everyone! My problem is that the chickens forage on open pasture on the cattle ranch we live on, so fencing the pasture is out of the question. I'm thinking of keeping them in our yard, since we have a 6ft. fence dividing our yard from the pasture (to keep our chicken eating dogs seperate) and just keeping the dogs in the house, at least for a few hours during the day. Maybe I will try that roller thing on the fence between the pasture and the house, though.
Juggling children and chickens while trying to find time to laze in the sun. |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 3:52:28 PM
We tag coyotes with a paint ball gun, bright differant colors splotches for each one, if that coyote continues to come around and cause trouble, then we shoot it, otherwise we leave them alone. We have a HUGE rabbit and squierrl population around here, and they will destroy crops and veggy gardens as well as trees if not for the coyotes. I have had "1" actually kill a lamb, and that was during a heavy drought and food and water was scarce, other wise I have more problems with dogs, either dumped or non-farm/ranch pets killing livestock around here. I use coyote rollers on the tops of my fences to pens where my lambs, kids and calfs are. They are simple to make and pretty cheap. All they are , are PVC 2" pipe, with 1" water pipe running thru it, the elbows are the on the water pipe, with legs that attach to the top of the fence, they try and jump it, grab on and the PVC rolls towards them causing them to fall back. This works to keep dogs in also.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| MommaJ9 |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 2:35:05 PM
We had coyote trouble all of last spring and into the summer. Hubby shot 1, but we still had 2 coming around. We kept the chickens locked in their yard (with a 6 ft. tall fence, but the critters kept coming back. We noticed that the chicken wire on the coop doors was pushed in and the holes were getting bigger, so we replaced the wire with a heavier gauged fencing. I guess the coyotes finally realized that we weren't going to set up the "buffet" line any time soon, so they moved on to greener (and featherier) pastures. Haven't seen them since July! BTW, the coyotes weren't afraid of us, which is why my hubby got the one...it just stood there, in the open. When they are hungry, there is no fear. Just be diligent in keeping the "girls" locked up for now and keep the shotgun ready!
Farmgirl #783
http://jabezfarm.blogspot.com |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 06:24:40 AM
Our dairy farmer baits them. If he has a calf to die, he ties the calf to a tree. Then he waits for the coyotes, and BANG!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
| eskimobirdlady |
Posted - Oct 22 2009 : 01:57:43 AM
stella, have you considered trapping the cooes? they make great hats. in fact i need about 6 or 8 of them for a parka to go with my hat! lol. peace connie in alaska |
| Cabinprincess |
Posted - Oct 21 2009 : 4:28:01 PM
Stella,
When we were in the country we just shot them and hung them on the fence post to keep the others away. We are in the within the city limits and can't shot anything here but still have to content with the wild life. It is a small country town surrounded still by open pastures. We have a red fox that live just behind the house in the woods who would just love to get to my chickens so I just got a Phantom Deterrent that makes a sound that scares things away. I got the 2808 for under a hundred dollars and have had no problem at all with anything. I am putting the site here and you can read down to the bottom where it talks about chickens. It may be something you'd like to check out.
http://nightpests.com/coyote.htm
Smiles, Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Oct 20 2009 : 7:51:17 PM
High fence with coyote rollers on it, and digg wire laid down. Warning, if your dogs are not backing them down, that means the coyotes might grab and kill them.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
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