A coyote ate my chicken today :(

[al6517]

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Exactly !!!!!!! if you plan to free range and refuse to pen them up and protect them properly, then you have to accept that you will have losses and lot's of them once the preditors find the easy meal and realize they can continue to come back for a free and easy meal. you have to decide what will be acceptable losses for you and how to continue to replace the birds lost.

For most people perimeter defense is just a bandaid on an open wound, overhead cover and enclosures are the only true way to protect your flock. Many free rangers refuse to do such things and that's fine, but don't blame the preditors. I would love to free range really I would, it's great and healthy, but I am a realist and I know I will be without a flock in a matter of weeks if I did. I value my birds too much to put them at risk by free ranging in a preditor rich area.

 

[Katydid2011]

I'm truly sorry for your loss.

As for free-ranging and pasturing - I've read and heard countless stories of chickens killed in coops and runs; by no means are predator losses limited to free-range and pastured chickens. Ours are pastured when we're here and protected by equine no-climb perimeter fencing, surrounded by three strands of electric wire on the outside; a guardian dog, and lots of low ground cover. It's unfortunate that people wish to make blanket statements about free-ranging and pasturing chickens, portraying it as irresponsible behavior. We are nothing if not responsible, and we've yet to suffer a loss. That being said, our time will come, as it will for those who keep their chickens cooped up and confined to runs 24/7, not because of irresponsibility but because losses happen; there are predators out there, fueled by hunger, desperation, and an unquenchable instinct for survival. There is no "predator proof" chicken keeping set-up, which is not to say that you shouldn't improve your current set-up (I highly recommend the electric perimeter fencing).

Edited to add: my comment about people portraying free-ranging and pasturing as irresponsible is not "aimed" at any particular person in this thread or anywhere else. It's simply a response to something I frequently hear.

 

[Wise Woman]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Coyotes are a pain in the butt. I had one snatch my little dog from right behind me and I never heard a thing until she screamed. He must not have had a good hold on her because she got away and I found her bleeding when I went out with a bat. $1000 in vet bills later and she survived. That was 10 years ago. They were lurking around the chicken coop. The good news is that we have in 10 years never lost a chicken to a coyote. Not sure why. We do not free range as we have no room or place to do so. It would be great, but on 1/5th of an acre lot, it is not happening. However, we do have one particular coyote that likes to come and sit in our driveway and stare into the chicken pen. He is very bold and I have to physically chase him away. We are always on the alert for him and luckily we can see the driveway and the chicken pen from several windows and everything is close to the house. The chickens are very nervous when he comes by. They gather in a circle and make quite the fuss.

I think predators are part and parcel with raising chickens. While nothing is full proof you will probably have to do something if you want to continue to raise chickens for eggs and not for coyote bait. It is a fact of chicken keeping. Good luck with what ever you decide to do.

 

[bock]

Thanks everyone. There were no more losses today, but I know that doesn't mean it won't be back. We will be putting wire over the spaces under the fence, and be on high alert for a few days. They couldn't actually jump a 4 foot fence, could they? If we see it coming back, we will try out the hot wire. If worst comes to worst, we will have to build a cage for them.

It is unfortunate that there are so many dangers that come with free ranging. Especially with our scorching summers, I would feel much better if they were lounging around in the shade rather than cramped up in a barren pen in the direct sun. I will do my best to prevent this from happening again. Thanks again!

 

[dretd]

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Unfortunately, 4 feet is nothing but a standing leap. Mere pup's play for a hunting coyote. They are very smart and will hunt in pairs, coordinating attacks and flushing prey. We have a very vigilent border collie who keeps the predators out of the back yard (well, mostly, except for the fox that jumped in while she was inside and pinned our BR. Out the back door flew the dog, the 16yo and the hubby and away the fox jumped over the 5 foot fence).

We keep ours in a run in the back yard and will let them out to free range only when we are home to supervise. The fox incident happened at dusk last fall when we forgot they were out free-ranging. We're more mindful. Perhaps you could get a smaller pen for them that is more secure.

I live in the city limits where its illegal to discharge firearms or I would be more vigilent with a 22.

The wildlife guys say I can Haze the coyotes but not Harrass them and ok'd paintball guns.

I got some of those reed matts that are meant to rollover windows or screen stuff outside at home depot last year for $10 a roll. I rolled them over the top of wire over the run to provide shade and it works really well. I didn't take them down in the winter because I'm lazy and they even held up to snow and rain so for. Maybe you could fashon a cheap shade for your girls somehow.

 

[jjthink]

I would feel much better if they were lounging around in the shade rather than cramped up in a barren pen in the direct sun

A pen would have to have plenty of shade provided.

JJ​

 

[WillieBoy]

Well, if every chicken owner had money to burn and buy fancy horse fencing and whatnot for large areas, then we could all free range safely, couldn't we KatyD...!

 

[dretd]

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Now, now, WillieBoy. I have been very creative with finding items for free or at a reasonable/affordable cost. You have to be patient. Re-purpose stuff. Home Depot supplied half the wood for my coop--cull lumber at $.51 a piece. Then there's Craigslist and better yet Freecycle (http://www.freecycle.org/). Check thrift stores and garage sales. And If someone' s putting up new fencing, they have to take down the old stuff and its perfect to cover runs with. Maybe not 'free range', but you can get a decently large area contained on the cheap!

 

[BuffOrpington22]

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Hello this is so true coyotes will keep coming back as long as you have hens roaming around your area they are still going to be on the prowl trust what this person said I have been stuggling trying to get rid of a coyote for months so far it took five hens and one rooster and one almost got eaten today she manage to get away though yikes!!!