Coyotes on the Rise

[Egghead_Jr]

Coyote won't be roaming urban area in the daytime. A six foot fence is all the security from them you should need as they won't be lingering on the other side of it during the day looking for an easy meal. In your setting a neighbors dog is more likely to be a daytime predator.

 

[ColtHandorf]

I think a six foot fence would stop any coyote from jumping. I really have never had any do any digging. My (?) coyotes have always just snatched them free ranging.

True story, once I was butchering two roosters. I caught the first one, culled him, left him on the table outside of the coop and went back to get the second one. Took me a bit more time to catch the second one. When I did, I noticed the first rooster was no longer on the table, but I thought he had just flopped off. Processed my second rooster, and then began to look.

That is a coyote. Quick and opportunist. I yelled out to the open prairie, "If you had waited 20 minutes, I would have plucked him for you!"

Mrs K

Coyotes can clear a six-foot fence. I think some individuals in Arizona on the forum have eight-foot walls that have been cleared. They installed some sort of fence rolling bar device on top to keep them from clearing the top.

 

[aldarita]

What is the fence made of?
Pics would be helpful here.
It's possible a coyote could scale/jump a 6' fence.
If you are concerned then best to leave them confined to a secure run.

I once saw a video of a coyote climbing a 10 ft fence and it wasn't a fence made with posts and wire, it was an urban fence made with cement blocks. I would not have believed it if it wasn't for the video. They are pretty skilled when hungry. Best to keep them enclosed and let them out only with closed supervision , and I mean close

 

[aart]

I once saw a video of a coyote climbing a 10 ft fence and it wasn't a fence made with posts and wire, it was an urban fence made with cement blocks. I would not have believed it if it wasn't for the video. They are pretty skilled when hungry. Best to keep them enclosed and let them out only with closed supervision , and I mean close

Yep, I have too.....why I asked what ind of fence.

 

[DukesDucks]

I'm also in Ontario. IMO Coyotes have become a real predator problem and not just in rural areas. They have lost their fear of humans. People have been warned not to let their dogs off lease in wooded parks. One coyote will lure dog away, then the rest close in behind. In a built up area, a coyote was finally trapped and dispatched after many people lost their outdoor cats. A coyote can climb some fences.
I think you need to keep your chickens in a secure run. Even if you are nearby, a coyote can grab your chicken and be gone, faster than you can react.

 

[Coffee N Chickens]

Well, I'm nowhere near Canada, but I have had coyotes come right up in front of my house and start singing a few feet from the door! It hasn't happened often, just a few times, but that says that they are not as afraid to come near people as we would probably like.

 

[igorsMistress]

Freedom has its risks, but if your flock is let out they learn to watch their surroundings and become capable of increasing their chance to survive if attacked. We’ve had coyotes in our neighborhood since we moved here and they’ve never come over the wall to help themselves to my flock. So I understand your worry, but I wouldn’t worry excessively. Being in a neighborhood will provide some protection by providing easier targets like cats and trash.

For what it’s worth, staying outside to watch them run around won’t stop a determined predator in most cases. People have been standing right in their yard and have had birds snatched from right next to them. Coyotes don’t typically hunt in packs, but they often do in pairs. It’s not the one you see, it’s the one you don’t.

 

[629864]

We have livestock guardian dogs. Coyotes don't even attempt to come into the fenced area of our very rural property. However, they have killed several chickens and guineas over the past year that left the confines of the fencing before dawn and on the side of the property that the dogs can't patrol. But coyotes WILL dig if there isn't any other way for them to get in and there isn't an easier meal elsewhere. Like others have said, coyotes are opportunistic, but hunger is a great motivator. As @DukesDucks said, they are also cunning and work together to lure an unsuspecting dog out to ambush. Our dogs are too big and powerful for that and the two of them could easily kill a pack of 6-8 coyotes. Poppy (the experienced coyote killer) can kill a coyote by grabbing it by the neck and giving it one good shake. This type of dog isn't suited for confined city life though, so I would advise keeping the chickens secure while you are away.

 

[cmom]

I have had issues with coyotes. Here they primarily roam at night but I have seen some during the day. This is the mating season so they could be out most anytime. One of our neighbors let some hunters hunt them on his property. Since then I haven't see as many but they are still around. Lately I have been seeing one on my cameras most nights. I do have electric wires around my coops and pens. They know the hot wires are there. I have seen them jump over fences, no problem. Another neighbor was having issues with coyotes getting his goat kids. Now he has no billy so no more kids. Today I put up a motion light with a siren. I'm curious to see if it comes tonight and sets it off.

This was a couple of nights ago. The date is wrong on the camera. The time and temperature are correct I also got it on a couple of other cameras but this is the best picture.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

About 1 week ago our outdoor cameras caught one right by our house. And then he showed up again. I am about an hour away from Madison, Wisconsin. And there are cows and farms surrounding our village. He almost looks like a wolf though.