Coyotes - Go AWAY!

[shakecc]

In our area the thing I am most worried about is coyotes. My neighbor lost some geese to some a few months ago (Just a thought thought for those who depend on their dog to protect their chickens... the neighbor who lost his geese have dog who is very protective and sleeps about 30 ft. from the coop. He swears that the coyotes are very smart and "hunt" in packs. One or two lures the dog away while the others close in on the birds. he is sure it was a coyote because he was able to shoot one when the rucus woke him.) Last week some neighbors on the next road over lost 6 chickens. We are finishing our coop which is very secure and the chickens will be closed in at night. We are getting ready to start on the run. Do you all think that hardwire will keep coyotes out? Any other thoughts on what provisions we should take against coyotes?

 

[yotetrapper]

Not sure what hardwire is. The neighbors that lost the fowl, were they loose, or penned up ? Amazingly I've had no trouble with coyotes, even tho we have tons here. Coons and cats are my villians here.

 

[Chirpy]

Yes, hardware cloth should keep coyotes out. The way you attach it is critical though, that will be the weak link. My friend had coyotes get on top of her chicken run and continue to jump up and down until they broke the wire free of the wood (she actually saw them do this). She tried to drive them off, they came back later and were able to get to and kill her chickens.

 

[Mahonri]

We have a lot of free range chickens in the half mile block to the south of us, and even though we are 3.5 miles south of the mountain preserve, I will see a coyote or two at least twice a year running through our city neighborhood. I keep my chickens locked up.