You know how you get an uneasy feeling sometimes and you shrug it off? Well I had that feeling this afternoon while sitting at home. And ignored it.
Now first off, my chooks don't live in town with me. They're actually at my place of business ( except for the young chicks ) outside my friends house at the back of the property.
I was there this morning to let them out, into their electric fenced run. My friend saw them at lunch and again at 4 pm. I came to put them away at 7pm. And found I only have 3 birds left out of 13. Found feathers but no birds.
My Dogs and my friends dogs immediately circled the electric fence then took off into the tree line. so I think I may have just missed the attack. They returned about 10 minutes later with my poor deceased rooster and a young pullet, and a couple battle wounds.
No I don't openly allow my dogs to chase coyotes. I'll get into that on a different thread. Or later in this one.
This was completely human error! I messed up big time and I hope people can learn from my mistakes and not have to endure a massacre such as this.
Check your electric fence daily or more! Go buy one of those volt metres and physically walk the parameter. We have had thunderstorms and high winds for a few days. The grass is long on the outside of the fence and I didn't see the tree branch laying on the bottom strands of the poultry netting. Which in turn made my fence not work.
So I'm guessing the coyotes have never been near the fence before this. Or they test it daily?. Who knows. I'm guessing they'll most likely return now unless, the dogs reminded them, that this is their territory? So I'm leaving my remaining birds in their completely enclosed run inside the fence for a few days. And borrowing a friends game camera to monitor the area and find out just what the coyotes are up to.
Cheers all. Keep them safe.
Now first off, my chooks don't live in town with me. They're actually at my place of business ( except for the young chicks ) outside my friends house at the back of the property.
I was there this morning to let them out, into their electric fenced run. My friend saw them at lunch and again at 4 pm. I came to put them away at 7pm. And found I only have 3 birds left out of 13. Found feathers but no birds.
My Dogs and my friends dogs immediately circled the electric fence then took off into the tree line. so I think I may have just missed the attack. They returned about 10 minutes later with my poor deceased rooster and a young pullet, and a couple battle wounds.
No I don't openly allow my dogs to chase coyotes. I'll get into that on a different thread. Or later in this one.
This was completely human error! I messed up big time and I hope people can learn from my mistakes and not have to endure a massacre such as this.
Check your electric fence daily or more! Go buy one of those volt metres and physically walk the parameter. We have had thunderstorms and high winds for a few days. The grass is long on the outside of the fence and I didn't see the tree branch laying on the bottom strands of the poultry netting. Which in turn made my fence not work.
So I'm guessing the coyotes have never been near the fence before this. Or they test it daily?. Who knows. I'm guessing they'll most likely return now unless, the dogs reminded them, that this is their territory? So I'm leaving my remaining birds in their completely enclosed run inside the fence for a few days. And borrowing a friends game camera to monitor the area and find out just what the coyotes are up to.
Cheers all. Keep them safe.
