Coyotes :(

[KGreene]

I'm sorry, I'm not here for an argument. I did not mean to upset you, but I would not give someone a reccomendation without telling them the risks. People have been injured and it would be irresponsible of me to not tell the OP the risks that the fencing may impose. Thank you for trying to keep it civil, I will try to. Thank you for stating your opinions, it is interesting to see different sides do the story, I truly hope the issue is resolved well and your granddaughter stays safe. Have a nice night.

ETA: I am sorry, I missed the part about your granddaughter in the first post. I didn't realize you had small children at your house. Sorry, I skip read a lot and usually just get the main idea of the post, probably not the best idea. Good luck with your coyote issue. Have you considered a guardian animal for the future? Livestock dogs can be helpful. You can still trap and dispatch the problem animal, but livestock dogs like Great Pyrenees can be quite helpful. It is just a suggestion, maybe you could get a puppy for your GD, they are very loyal and protective so she would have an extra layer of protection. Once again good luck!

I'm not upset what-so-ever. I have loyal, protective dogs... not much of a threat to a pack of coyotes. Nah, I've built my tri-pods, got my hooks and 1/8" cable.....I'm going coyote fishing!

 

[bbhorsefly]

I'm not upset what-so-ever. I have loyal, protective dogs... not much of a threat to a pack of coyotes. Nah, I've built my tri-pods, got my hooks and 1/8" cable.....I'm going coyote fishing!

How did the fishing go?!?!? I had two coyotes cross 2 acres of open grass to come within 20 feet of my back door and chicken coop yesterday in broad day light. I was halfway into my coat getting ready to leave the house and was so shocked I didn't get my gun drawn before I took off out the door after them. My chickens were free ranging and our dog was outside 20 feet away watching them. My four young children could've been outside if not for getting their coats on to leave. We are armed and would love to just outright shoot them, but we can't sit 24/7 watching for them to come back.

 

[adb96]

I had a pretty bad situation myself with my chickens early this morning. I took to the Internet to find out if anyone can help me figure out what could have done this and what I can do to prevent it from happening again. I have five chickens (one Silkie rooster and three Easter Eggers and one ostrolop). I was out late last night, they were in their hutch, locked up safely. I have 11 acres, most of which are forest. My boyfriend headed out for work and called me saying something got the chickens. I told him there's no way, they're locked up in a hutch. Turns out something FLIPPED the hutch right onto its roof. All chickens are gone except the rooster. Only two traces of two missing birds. One was torn to pieces on my front porch, there's blood and feathers (even some flesh chunks, how sickening) on my porch and leading out to the woods. Whatever it was scratched up the car and knocked over the trash cans too! We don't have bears. Do you think a pack of coyotes could've done this? Worked together to flip the hutch? They ripped the door clean off its hinges to the coop. I called wildlife control this morning. I'm worried that whatever did this was too comfortable getting this close to my house. I'm a small person and I have dogs to walk. God forbid I'm walking my dog one afternoon or night and whatever this is decides that myself or my dog is worth the shot. I couldn't fend off a coyote or raccoon or something, I can barely open a bottle of soda on my own! What do you think about this and what do you think would help prevent this? We put the hutch back together and put it and the rooster in the garage just in case whatever did this comes back. If I were a wild animal and found a nice food source like that, I'd come back for more!

 

[WPFarmstead]

I had a pretty bad situation myself with my chickens early this morning. I took to the Internet to find out if anyone can help me figure out what could have done this and what I can do to prevent it from happening again. I have five chickens (one Silkie rooster and three Easter Eggers and one ostrolop). I was out late last night, they were in their hutch, locked up safely. I have 11 acres, most of which are forest. My boyfriend headed out for work and called me saying something got the chickens. I told him there's no way, they're locked up in a hutch. Turns out something FLIPPED the hutch right onto its roof. All chickens are gone except the rooster. Only two traces of two missing birds. One was torn to pieces on my front porch, there's blood and feathers (even some flesh chunks, how sickening) on my porch and leading out to the woods. Whatever it was scratched up the car and knocked over the trash cans too! We don't have bears. Do you think a pack of coyotes could've done this? Worked together to flip the hutch? They ripped the door clean off its hinges to the coop. I called wildlife control this morning. I'm worried that whatever did this was too comfortable getting this close to my house. I'm a small person and I have dogs to walk. God forbid I'm walking my dog one afternoon or night and whatever this is decides that myself or my dog is worth the shot. I couldn't fend off a coyote or raccoon or something, I can barely open a bottle of soda on my own! What do you think about this and what do you think would help prevent this? We put the hutch back together and put it and the rooster in the garage just in case whatever did this comes back. If I were a wild animal and found a nice food source like that, I'd come back for more!

Are you sure you don't have bears? Because that sounds like bear behavior to me. Electric fences or depridation are really the only 2 options for bears if they are that bold.

We have coyotes here which have taken me than a few animals, but it's taught us rather well what does and does not work.

1. They can jump a 6' fence with ease.
2. Typically fish and game won't do a thing, even if you live in town.
3. Geese are not even a minor deterrent.
4. Lock up even if you've been fine for weeks. That is the one night you'll have a visit.
5. Coyotes hunt day and night, no breaks.

Oh, and in case you didn't know, you don't shear llamas, you brush them out. Llama, unlike the alpaca or suri, have lots of guard hairs, which is why they aren't raised for their wool. If you brush them, it pulls more of the good wool out, rather than the guard hairs. They also only produce a few ounces a year of good stuff.

 

[MeepBeep]

5. Coyotes hunt day and night, no breaks.

Very true, had one stalking my pasture today at 3pm, full daylight... My the goats sought shelter in the barn as my llamas took up guard positions in front of the barn door...

Oh, and in case you didn't know, you don't shear llamas, you brush them out. Llama, unlike the alpaca or suri, have lots of guard hairs, which is why they aren't raised for their wool. If you brush them, it pulls more of the good wool out, rather than the guard hairs. They also only produce a few ounces a year of good stuff.

I beg to differ, unlike llamas in their native country that are used as pack animals, most of the llamas in the US/Canada are from single fleece stock and don't have a lot of guard hairs, so you can get a lot of decent fiber (wool) from them... Of course the breeding lines will dictate the fiber quality just like it will with alpacas...

http://lostcreekllamas.com/fiber.htm

I have little interest in their fiber but I still sheer every season so they don't get heat stroke, and they have not trouble growing back a new coat before it gets cold again...

 

[WPFarmstead]

I beg to differ, unlike llamas in their native country that are used as pack animals, most of the llamas in the US/Canada are from single fleece stock and don't have a lot of guard hairs, so you can get a lot of decent fiber (wool) from them... Of course the breeding lines will dictate the fiber quality just like it will with alpacas...

http://lostcreekllamas.com/fiber.htm

I have little interest in their fiber but I still sheer every season so they don't get heat stroke...

Typically the ones that are good for guarding are going to have low quality fiber. If you're not needing the fiber, it is best to shear them, in my opinion, because it does help with the heat immensely. Around here, I have yet to see decent wool on a llama.

 

[bbhorsefly]

It sounds like something pretty big to flip it all the way over, but was it anchored? I've had hutches tipped over by a dog jumping up on it lunging at the contents. But to rip the door off? I'm not sure. Our coyote experiences have been in broad daylight too. We got a Great Pyrenees two weeks ago. He's five years old, experienced with goats and now chickens. He has five confirmed coyote kills by his previous owner. I know we have a couple donkeys in the fields as well. Hope by the time we get set up we are pretty well set up to take care of coyote problems.

 

[MeepBeep]

Typically the ones that are good for guarding are going to have low quality fiber. If you're not needing the fiber, it is best to shear them, in my opinion, because it does help with the heat immensely. Around here, I have yet to see decent wool on a llama.

In a comparative measure they will generally have inferior fiber for spinning vs alpacas but it's generally superior for other uses like felting...

I believe their guard ability is more an individual trait than based on there fiber type... Some llamas are great guards from the get go, while others don't give a single hoot about guarding, it's really a toss of the coin...

 

[WPFarmstead]

In a comparative measure they will generally have inferior fiber for spinning vs alpacas but it's generally superior for other uses like felting...

I believe their guard ability is more an individual trait than based on there fiber type... Some llamas are great guards from the get go, while others don't give a single hoot about guarding, it's really a toss of the coin...

That's true about the felting, which is the other reason it isn't worth as much. I have some friends and friends of friends who breed llama specifically for guarding ability, so I don't think it's near as much a toss up as one would believe.

 

[bigoledude]

I don't think a yard covered with feathers is an attractant to coyotes or foxes. What draws a coyote's attention to a feather in the wild is the feather is something unusual, out of place and coyotes are curious. They also will see a feather and assume there might be something left of the previous owner. Coyotes that frequent areas with humans are not all that difficult to trap. It won't be as critical to cover your scent.

I think snares are best. They are very inexpensive and very effective. Unlike foot traps, all you need to do is find a likely approach path and set up your snares. Whereas, with a foot trap you must place your "set" so that the coyote must put his foot directly in the center of the trap. There are dozens of videos on youtube for snaring coyotes and for trapping coyotes. Watch some, pay close attention, try different techniques and you will soon be proficient. Techniques for trapping foxes will work equally well on coyotes. Just use heavier traps/snares. You can place dozens of snares for the price you'd pay for only a few traps.

One of the easiest ways to snare a coyote is if you can find a place where he is crawling under a fence. Also, if you have a good idea of his approach path, you can funnel them into your snare or trap by placing brush, logs or debris in place to direct him right where you want him. I'm not a masochist. I don't get pleasure out of being inhumane in dispatching any animal. But how humane is it for your stock to be eaten alive? Because it's a coyote committing the "inhumanity" it's OK? More compassion for the killer than for the animals you have raised since birth/hatching.

This relatively new concern over wild killers treatment boggles my mind. We have come to the point of equating the lives of a mange covered heartless killer with that of humans. We have come to equally regard the nasty coyote with the cuddly little Poofy Lou the Shitzou! In the 165,00 years of mankind, it was always absolutely natural for man to defend himself and his livelihood with the utmost violence against predators. It has taken this politically correct, clueless generation less than 75 years to try and change the natural inclination of man to protect his stock.

There are those out there who tell us to go easy on the predator because they are only doing what comes natural to them. It's embedded in their DNA. It is for precisely this reason I kill them! It is also embedded in my DNA to protect me and mine! Killing a predator is 100% effective. He can't possibly kill again. They say "More will come" I say "kill them also". Math and science folks.

Math; One less killer is ONE LESS!

Science; A dead predator can't kill anymore!