Coyote attack in the middle of the day.

[BlindLemonChicken]

I remember my aunts husband having a coon for a 'pet' when we was kids.

If there’s anything worse than a house chicken it’s a house trash panda. I can’t even imagine. Did it use a litter box?

 

[McChooky]

If there’s anything worse than a house chicken it’s a house trash panda. I can’t even imagine. Did it use a litter box?

Her husband kept it in a cage outdoors and took it for walks,etc

 

[FurryHerbalist]

And everyone is welcome to protect their animals as they see fit. To me, my point of view isn't "cute", it's what I consider respectful to the place I live.

Animals---and that includes predators---are part of the ecosystem where I live. I'd rather put my energy into preventative measures for my flocks and pets.

I recognize that sometimes more aggressive measures might be necessary, but I have a tremendous amount of sympathy for the pressures that are put on wild animals as people increasingly encroach on their homes.

I was going to stay out of this but as a biologist I have to point out that prior to roughly 1900, coyotes’ range was limited to west of the Mississippi River. It is the coyote that has expanded into the eastern US and is in fact considered a distinct type.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a vegetarian who relocates black snakes from the coop to the woods and is thrilled to have a fox den on the property. But the argument that we are always the encroaching party is over used.

Many species are expanding their ranges because of climate change - Brown bears and Polar bears for instance are now interbreeding when historically they had no contact. Interestingly, our roads and landscaping are facilitating wildlife movement. This makes for more human-wildlife interactions which in turn makes wildlife more comfortable around humans.

Living in a rural area and cohabitating with wildlife means that deer and ground hogs are going to browse your veg patch (grrrr) and predators will occasionally snack on your livestock…and it breaks your heart. But there is only so much you can do. Fence, close the coop at night, supervise free range flocks or get an Anatolian guardian dog or two.

 

[Anon112]

I was going to stay out of this but as a biologist I have to point out that prior to roughly 1900, coyotes’ range was limited to west of the Mississippi River. It is the coyote that has expanded into the eastern US and is in fact considered a distinct type.

But the argument that we are always the encroaching party is over used.

Living in a rural area and cohabitating with wildlife means that deer and ground hogs are going to browse your veg patch (grrrr) and predators will occasionally snack on your livestock…and it breaks your heart. But there is only so much you can do. Fence, close the coop at night, supervise free range flocks or get an Anatolian guardian dog or two.

I guess what I mean is that there is a system around me. I totally acknowledge that the animals/plants in my area may not be native or might not have been in this area 20 years ago (looking at you, stiltgrass!).

Not even just talking about coyotes, but talking also about foxes, bears, raccoons, possums, snakes, hawks, etc: putting a bunch of domesticated chickens in a contained space is plopping a buffet down into that system. It's putting low-hanging fruit out there.

To feel good about how I interact with the wildlife around me, I very much prefer focusing as much as possible on exclusion and not extermination.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Interestingly, our roads and landscaping are facilitating wildlife movement. This makes for more human-wildlife interactions which in turn makes wildlife more comfortable around humans.

I have been thinking about this lately because I remember a lot of talk about wildlife corridors out west. As wilderness areas shrink I think animals get more comfortable using roads to get where they’re going. Since we built a new dirt road I can see exactly what is prowling around at night based on tracks left in the mud on the road. Thought I heard a raccoon last night and sure enough, found his grubby little paw prints this morning in the mud. The deer also use the road frequently despite the dog and our vehicles going up and down it several times a day. I even caught a bunny hanging out with my chickens yesterday. The prey animals seem to hover just at the edges of the road, in the underbrush, like our presence is keeping them a little safer. I know there are still predators there as well (bobcat in particular) but the human activity seems to be a bit of a deterrent. For now. Ha

 

[Vicker]

The only daytime coyote we've experienced had something wrong with it, maybe rabies. It wasn't afraid of us. My husband dispatched it. We've had night-time raids on chickens and sheep. After seeing some eat a sheep that was still alive, we now shoot on sight. Portable electric fence netting is very effective to provide protected free-ranging. I think there are so many other forms of prey around here, the cat has been fine outside.

 

[morgirl]

freeze a bottle of water and lay in your cats bed. maybe he will like it, probably not, but the rabbits at the fair seem to like/use the cold area!

 

[CHlCKEN]

any plans to shoot or trap the coyote?

I did try to go after him but probably scared him way off with the UTV. Counter productive, I know, but I wasn’t thinking lol.

I fully support your efforts to give your chickens a better life and am truly sorry for your loss! Unlike dogs coyotes kill for food and are opportunistic feeders so it might be a good idea not leave them unattended for awhile.Its too hot to leave them locked up everyday

I almost never leave them unattended but its been so unbearably hot this summer and my heat tolerance is too poor to stay out there with them all day.

This used to be my stance on the matter as well. I have changed my mind largely because I don’t want a coyote anywhere near the small people who are not allowed to free range unsupervised lol. I also think that the coyotes have a buffet in other parts of the property where the kids, chickens and dog don’t hang out. This also gives the deer a safe place to hang out too. If the coyotes want to eat on my property they have plenty of options that aren’t my chickens. And I won’t follow them there. I think that’s a pretty good deal given that lots of people are demolishing forest and selling land to make way for condos and trailer parks.

I definitely agree. Another large part of the coyotes being an issue is that my population of wild turkeys is already struggling as a result of my neighbors allowing people to come hunt them on their property. I figure their presence is a large part of why the coyotes are here to begin with, but if I can help it I don’t want them sticking around as a threat to both my birds and the wild birds.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I figure their presence is a large part of why the coyotes are here to begin with

Wild turkeys can fly and are actually very predator savvy. They might be hanging out on your property because they have figured out that they are being hunted elsewhere.

 

[CHlCKEN]

Wild turkeys can fly and are actually very predator savvy. They might be hanging out on your property because they have figured out that they are being hunted elsewhere.

Yes they’re super hardy, I notice more loss of young offspring than of the adult population, although when the adult population does wane I can usually attribute it to hunters. There actually is one that sustained a leg injury about three years ago and despite now walking with a pronounced limp, is still very much alive and has raised many chicks! She’s probably about four years old at minimum which is great for a wild turkey.