coyote sighting near our house...

[cassie]

I see coyotes nearly every day and have for the last 30 years. Our losses from them have been zero. Our dogs make such a fuss when they get too close they just keep on going. When I put up a new chicken run in part of the pasture I will put up an electric fence.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

California is full of coyotes and lots of goat farms. I think in most cases the coyotes won't bother with your goats as long as ther food supply is okay, acess to the goats is not too easy and there are other food sources. Also depends on if you are rural or urban. Urban coyotes prefer garbage.

 

[aceschix]

I am going with the majority on this one. We have them...they keep the field mice and other rodent population down. Do some quick research online if you are unsure. Most are not going out of their way to "kill" larger animals when they can have all the rodents your field can hold. We have not lost any birds and have seen them in our field for a long time. Hubbies family did not have a problem during there 40 years of dairy farming here either. We enjoy watching them like the willd turkeys and deer.

 

[Kansaseq]

I actually named my farm after the coyotes, we have so many. Often I hear them very close to the house, but my chickens and dogs are behind double fencing. If your fences are good and you have dogs, then you should be ok. Just be sure to lock the girls up after dark.

 

[fowltemptress]

Our neighbors had 50 of their hair sheep taken by coyotes during this last drought . . . they have llamas to keep the coyotes at bay: clearly not working. We don't have a dog anymore and lost 3 lambs, even with electric fencing, but since penning them up in the smaller enclosure at night there hasn't been any losses. Something about that large of a group in a small space seems to deter them. Tried donkeys at one point but quit after they'd occasionally get into a weird mood and stomp the newborn lambs to pieces. Never had losses with a dog around, and when there isn't a drought going on the coyotes leave us alone. I wouldn't be worried , really. As a predator coyotes seem to be less a hassle than anything else, even though they're everywhere you look around here. I'll trade my hawk for your coyote. At least you have the option of shooting yours. Good luck.