Critters galore! What is going on these days - and now a wiley Coyote?

[Inkheart]

I am beginning to wonder about my area. I have had claw marks and things on my barns and coops so have been settign the live trap and am catching a raccon every night jsut about. Now added a nasty opposum( spelling?) Is anyone else have a huge amount of predator activity now? I am not doing anything different other than i have some young birds and chicks at the moment.
Then this morning doing my usual gig before work - sun is up - let all the chooks out - all is well. I have dogs of my own but am also watching a friends Anatolian Shepard mix. Well i am in the barn fiddling around - hear the chickens going nuts dogs barking - growling etc. Mind you the chickens roam in about two acres fenced in by 5 foot high fence. I go out ( with gun in hand) and there is my friends dog - with all the chickens behind her like she had herded them into the corner against the barn. She is in front growling and barking - 40 feet away - a coyote! I panicked - i got a shot off towards it and it bolted - went right thru a hole in fence i hadnt seen. Lesson learned reguarly check the fence - will be fence patching tonite. I thought they were nocturnal!
My friend has this dog to protect his sheep - he is on vacation and has a female friend watching watching his place. The reason i have her is that this dog hates women - But Thank God she was there- other chore tonite - give her a nice piece of steak!

 

[NHchicks]

Ooh. That sounds like a good tip for a rooster dog. Cute, too. What a great dog. I don't think I'd give her back. Tell your friend his ran off, and you found this one roaming the property, homeless. Ha. Maybe dye her a darker color. That would work.

 

[Inkheart]

Lol i am telling you - and she is fine with all the animals - i have heard that anatolian shepards are great flock guarders. I am telling you i was impressed - i mean you forget that most dogs were bred for a job and they dont get to do it much anymore.
i just dont get why my place is critter heaven !!!!????!!!

 

[Judy]

Because everyone loves chicken?

My only known coyote attack was in the middle of the day.

 

[Inkheart]

Quote:
Really? Why was i under the thought they were more nocturnal - huh - scares me to death

 

[The reluctant chicken]

We have a lot of coyotes and see them during the day most times. My last batch of chickens were taken by coyotes. The surprising thing to me is they also yap and howl during they day. I never heard them do that until about a month ago...2 days in a row! I don't let my girls free range at all unless I'm outside. I try to do that at least an hour a day, usually it's 2 though.
What a terrific dog to stand guard though..wish I had one here!

 

[Inkheart]

as a predator do they take one and run like a fox? Or what is their preffered methods ?

 

[woodmort]

Right now the coyote pups are learning to hunt and it is a 24/7 process. Although they prefer to hunt at dusk and dawn when it is easier to sneak up on prey they are opportunistic.

 

[The reluctant chicken]

Quote:
They take them and run, very similar to a fox.

 

[yinepu]

they do the snatch and grab like a fox.. a fox tends to leave a pile of feathers behind.. but not always..

Predators have been worse this year than any other in my experience.. never lost so many birds to raccoons, coyotes and foxes before