I'm pretty sure I'm not cut out for this...

[tennesseeckn]

We had a near miss this morning.

Around 9:00 am I heard a ruckus and ran out to see what I thought was a huge fox running around my small coop tormenting my Wyandottes. It was so unafraid of me that I had time to go get two BB guns and fire four times before hitting it and running it off. One of my Wyandottes injured her comb throwing herself into the hardware cloth trying to get away.

We're really lucky because usually all of the chickens are out free ranging at that time of day. I also looked up pictures online and discovered that it was actually a coyote. The other run isn't nearly as secure. I'm pretty sure it could have breached that one if it had tried there first.

Now people are telling me to be ready to off it at dusk tonight when it comes back... and it WILL be back...

I consider myself a pretty tough chick, but this has got me feeling sickish.

 

[Judy]

Coyotes are apparently becoming quite a problem, and it's not just chickens they attack.

You can do it!

 

[GarlicEater]

You can always try a Hav-A-Hart trap with some good bait for fox, you may want to look up what's the best bait - whether some chicken giblets from the store, something smelly like sardines, etc.

Then you *should* be able to take it to the animal shelter and they'll take care of it for you.

 

[dawg53]

Congratulations for deterring the coyote...a secure pen is a must. You might want upgrade your firepower for when he comes back.

 

[Wynette]

It's our responsibility as livestock owners to protect them.....first line of defense, of course, is an extremely secure area for them. But, if you just don't have one, I guess you just have to find the intestinal fortitude to do what you gotta do!! Glad you caught him in time earlier...my hope for you is that he got discouraged & doesn't come back.

 

[purelypoultry]

Shore up your coop and run as much as you can. They'll dig, so you should concider burying hardware cloth along the bottom edge of the coop and run. Coyotes are cunning and smart, it's likely you'll see him or her again. Good luck.

 

[GarlicEater]

Oh, I mis-read, the large fox == coyote!

You *might* be able to trap one with a large trap, TSC sells them. But they are indeed wiley.

 

[tennesseeckn]

Quote:
I have a 9 lb dog that's not allowed out by himself, now.

Edited to fix typo.

 

[Katy]

I don't like killing a predator either, but which makes you feel sicker......doing that or going out and finding your birds dead?

All predators are just trying to survive and I'm happy to let them, but when they mess with any of our livestock whether it's chickens or cattle their welcome here is over.

 

[tennesseeckn]

Quote:
Our small coop was our first coop and is built like Fort Knox. All hardware cloth, covered, 18 inch skirt. We never saw predators so we thought it was overkill. We were much more relaxed with our second coop. It occurred to me this afternoon that if it weren't Spring Break and I were working I would never have known a coyote was in the yard. I would have assumed her coop-mate hurt her comb and would have let them out as usual. I have no idea what wanders through our yard, day or night.

Arrgh!

Makes me want to invest in cameras, electric fencing, snare traps, and on, and on, and on...