Coyotes :(

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RavenBlue

RavenBlue

In the Brooder
Jul 9, 2015
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My flock of Buff Orps are locked up safe in their coop at night but I was letting them free range unfenced during the day. I was planning on putting them in the chicken tractor but they were so happy scratching and pecking and dust bathing around the barn. They never went more than 20 yards from the coop and always returned to lay or roost, ran towards me when I was out with them and followed me around the gardens. I was talking to a neighbour at the front of the house and saw 2 of my girls running towards us, they never come down to the house. I figured something spooked them, decided to round them up and do a head count, 2 missing!! Found 2 piles of feathers behind the barn and coyote tracks dotted with feathers all the way to the boundary fence. Looks like coyotes ran away with my 2 favorite old girls. They were 4+ years old and still laid giant eggs for me a couple times a week. I feel so guilty that I didn't tractor them and thought I was being so kind giving them some freedom. Very hard lesson learned today.
 
Don't be so hard on yourself, I have a neighbor who keeps his in tractors, the coyotes have ripped open his pens and ate most of his meat birds. You'll have to keep them locked up now because they will keep coming back unfortunately. They got a bunch of my favorite birds a few years ago, my husband was finally able to get a shot at them, thankfully we haven't seen them since, but I know it's just hit and miss, sorry, they seem to take the good ones.
 
Really? Aw thanks for that. I'd have felt even worse if they were taken from the tractor and had no chance to escape.. Yeah hubby said they will keep coming back here now so he's setting up a trail cam and tree stand and has vowed to shoot them when they do. Our main rooster does such a good job protecting the flock but I guess coyotes were a bit too much to ask of him.
 
It took my husband weeks to actually see them, we ended up buying a cheaper night scope, the coyotes knew when he left for work and when I went out to feed them and would only come during that time, they came one night though and our donkeys started braying so he snuck out there's and put some buckshot in it, good luck, thankfully they seem to go elsewhere after at least nicking one.
 
oldhenlikesdogs said:
It took my husband weeks to actually see them, we ended up buying a cheaper night scope, the coyotes knew when he left for work and when I went out to feed them and would only come during that time, they came one night though and our donkeys started braying so he snuck out there's and put some buckshot in it, good luck, thankfully they seem to go elsewhere after at least nicking one.
Click to expand...

I think that it is called teaching the coyotes to respect humans. Unfortunately this lesson must be relearned by the coyotes from time to time.
 

Caught on the trail cam last night after we had given up watching for them and gone to bed.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss.
hugs.gif


Yes, that coyote does look skinny and hungry. It will keep returning until it is unable to get anymore dinner at your place. Have you considered electric poultry fencing? That would give them room to roam and keep them safe. I find it is very effective against most predators, with the exception of the airborne ones.

ETA - From what I understand, coyotes will case their prey at night, and return during the day for the kill.
 
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Aww thanks for the hug! Electric netting was my original plan, hubby thought I was being overcautious but has agreed now (!) that its probably a good idea. We get a lot of hawks around here too though so I'm kind of lost as to our best option.. They have about 10 square feet each in their coop at the moment but they seem pretty miserable just staring out the windows.
 
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