Another Reason to Deal with Coyotes Sooner Than Later

[calista]

In this story about residents of Tustin, California being menaced by coyotes, this advice stands out for us chicken keepers:

"What happens is familiarity breeds contempt," he said, "The longer coyotes hang around people, they lose their fear and they start becoming more bold."

"Basically you should never allow a coyote to feel comfortable around your home. You should always scare it off."

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/29/national/main20085765.shtml

Professional exterminators have been hired to shoot the pack animals responsible for several incidents. However, not without protest:

But some in the community don't want to see the animals shot. Organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and some Laguna Woods residents have said the city could review other options before reaching for a gun.

"I love animals and coyotes are no exception," 61-year-old resident Bj Garnaus was quoted as saying in the Orange County Register.

 

[RHRanch]

These areas are just too attractive for coyotes - trash, small animals, etc. all left out will attract wildlife. Unfortunately, the problem will come back if people living in these areas don't make sure thier neighborhoods are unwelcoming to wildlife. Also, this year had unusual amounts of rain and there was an increase in the number of vegetation which = more small animals which = more surviving coyote/predator pups which = less food in mid summer which = scavenging in more urban areas

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Wow, they are feeding those coyotes pretty well " Local officials have found leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes left outside, leading them to believe residents were feeding the wild animals, Keane said."

 

[RHRanch]

Quote:
I suspected that could be part of the problem.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Few years back, i learned my lesson on THAT. (before i had chickens)
I put out some left over meat pie (thinking some wayward hungry critter would need it..

..).... yeah... about 2 am they were in my yard (and i have a very small yard), yipping and snarling, fighting over that food. Gave me the willies waking up hearing that... i made my hubby get up and lock the door.

 

[Cetawin]

I had one snatch a giant cochin less than 10 ft from my front porch broad daylight...about 11:00 am. She came back a few weeks later and went after my blue orp roo and I shot her. Bold and brazen means trouble.

Feeding them is insane and begging for trouble. When cats and small dogs get eaten they will realize it..or worse a small child is attacked playing in their own yard.

 

[bwmichaud]

Quote:
You are correct. Often people don't realize this until it's too late.

 

[7L Farm]

Yotes are a mandatory kill here at our farm. If your out deer hunting & see one there's absolutely no passing the shot.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Just last year in a VERY ritzy neighborhood in Ft Myers Coyotes were running up and snatching peoples little dogs while they were being walked on a leash! People started carrying baseball bats and canes to beat them off with.

 

[briteday]

We had a coyote jump a 6' fence into our pen this Spring, at 9AM one morning. It had already snatched and consumed one hen, back on the other side of the fence, and was apparently coming back for another when we spotted him (one of the most beautiful male coyotes I have ever seen in 25 years of living here). We live in a fairly suburban neighborhood with 1/2-acre lots, many of us still have horse pastures on the back portions of our lots. However, there always seem to be wildlife migration paths in most neighborhoods. And with ours, it's the gravel drainage ditches between the back fences Our development is at the base of the foothills, as it drains downhill to the creek below us. There is still a cattle ranch along the creek. And in the Spring the coyotes relish the remains from the calving process and any calves that might be fair game.

When I called the Dept. of Wildlife the next morning, to check my options and get advice, they suggested that the coyotes are going down to the ranch before dawn to fill up and then getting dessert on the way back to their dens in the foothills, up through the drainage ditch, by hopping fences where there are small animals to prey upon. However, since a few brazen coyotes had been reported with increasing frequency, the wildlife officer asked me to call if I saw the coyote in my yard again. Their rule was "if the animal is a threat to humans or livestock, they must be destroyed." Since these few coyotes were regularly seen actively destroying livestock and obviously acclimated to being near humans (the coyote looked at me like a nut when I began making noise to distract it from my flock while my husband sought other means), other neighbors had reported even more disturbing human encounters (like right up to the doors on the patio, no food/garbage/warm firepit to attract them there), the wildlife officer was ready to wait for them at the end of the ditch one morning if they so much as put one toe over another fence.

We never had to call again. And it was about the end of calving season anyway. We have since rearranged the location of our chicken run, farther away from the perimeter fencing and farther away from the back ditch/fence. Now the only problems we seem to have are a heavy mouse infestation and zillions of rabbits. We had an excessively wet winter with lots of snow cover. So I'm thinking it made for good breeding situations this Spring. I have pulled into the driveway to find 6-8 rabbits just staring at me, not even under the bushes, just right out there on the concrete! And the mice! I've recently downsized the flock and was able to move the remaining birds to a smaller coop that we abandoned a few years ago when we bought a bigger shed for a bigger flock. The big shed is infested with mice. I never feed inside the shed and keep it well cleaned. However, I can go in there anytime of the day and see a dozen mice scurry around in broad daylight within 5 minutes. They hang over the lip of the water bowls outside to drink, seem to be bedded down in the shavings on the floor. Dang they're annoying.