Fox or coyote?

[JSfunnyfarm]

The longer than wide track with claws just showing in front to the best of my knowledge is a coyote.

That’s what a friend said too. Going to have to take care of him!

 

[texsuze]

IMHO your first priority should be securing your chicken coop/run. Additional fencing, electric fencing (always a good choice), covered run, whatever it takes. Kill one coyote and others tend to come in to take that territory.

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

IMHO your first priority should be securing your chicken coop/run. Additional fencing, electric fencing (always a good choice), covered run, whatever it takes. Kill one coyote and others tend to come in to take that territory.

Yes! Going today to get more things to beef up our chicken area for sure! And my MIL is bringing game cameras over. Hoping to be able to see when it comes. The chickens that disappeared before about a month ago were about two weeks apart. Then we had two days in a row yesterday and today or last night and the night before.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

Both coyotes and foxes would, I’m guessing that it’s likely coyotes.

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

Both coyotes and foxes would, I’m guessing that it’s likely coyotes.

That’s what it seems based on most research and opinion. Getting some things to beef up the chicken area and hopefully some deterrents as well!

 

[Earthdale]

They can be pretty brazen, one walked into our drivway in the afternoon right past where the dog was tied up.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

When I was young, we didn’t have coyotes here. Foxes were more prevalent. Now we have both. It seems lik the foxes have moved in closer to houses and human activity and are making a comeback number wise. Over the last 30 years coyotes have went from being unheard of to being heard or seen daily/nightly.
We live on a farm not too far from town but surrounded by a mix of other farms and houses. Foxes and coyotes both will come right up in the yard.
They are very brazen. One evening years ago when I had sheep, a coyote was stalking the sheep and lambs. I called the sheep up to fasten them in the barn like I did each night. Thinking the coyote would hear me and run. It did not, it followed them up and as I shut the gate behind the sheep it was trying to get through even with me standing there hollering and throwing rocks at it. It was a standoff for probably 15 minutes, I didn’t have a gun with me and was afraid if I left to get one it would get a lamb. We lost several lambs even a couple mature sheep to coyotes, finally gave up after trying multiple guard animals and electric fence and got out of the sheep business because of them. Have also a few calves to them over the years too.
I keep my chickens in a pretty secure run and coop as far as coyotes and foxes we haven’t had an issue with them, but if we tried to free range we wouldn’t have a chicken left after a couple days.

 

[linguini]

So it rained last night and I found tracks and two more chickens gone.

I could be wrong since we've never seen coyote here. But the footprints you showed look like fox footprints to the ones we've seen. We have a big red fox around and leaves footprints just like that. You can measure the strides to get. an approximate body length not including head/tail.

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

When I was young, we didn’t have coyotes here. Foxes were more prevalent. Now we have both. It seems lik the foxes have moved in closer to houses and human activity and are making a comeback number wise. Over the last 30 years coyotes have went from being unheard of to being heard or seen daily/nightly.
We live on a farm not too far from town but surrounded by a mix of other farms and houses. Foxes and coyotes both will come right up in the yard.
They are very brazen. One evening years ago when I had sheep, a coyote was stalking the sheep and lambs. I called the sheep up to fasten them in the barn like I did each night. Thinking the coyote would hear me and run. It did not, it followed them up and as I shut the gate behind the sheep it was trying to get through even with me standing there hollering and throwing rocks at it. It was a standoff for probably 15 minutes, I didn’t have a gun with me and was afraid if I left to get one it would get a lamb. We lost several lambs even a couple mature sheep to coyotes, finally gave up after trying multiple guard animals and electric fence and got out of the sheep business because of them. Have also a few calves to them over the years too.
I keep my chickens in a pretty secure run and coop as far as coyotes and foxes we haven’t had an issue with them, but if we tried to free range we wouldn’t have a chicken left after a couple days.

So crazy!! It’s weird that last year we didn’t have this problem and then all of a sudden this year in the last month in a half we’re losing chickens left and right! We’ve lived here for 7 years and I hear coyotes all the time. Rural area, but lots of houses and farms sprinkled in! And there are 4 other houses down my road with chickens. I let them know our situation in case it decided to move on down. So sad you had to move past the sheep biz! We have cows, goats, and horses, but the chickens were the easy target! Lost 9 and two of which were the best roosters!!

 

[JSfunnyfarm]

I could be wrong since we've never seen coyote here. But the footprints you showed look like fox footprints to the ones we've seen. We have a big red fox around and leaves footprints just like that. You can measure the strides to get. an approximate body length not including head/tail.

We first thought fox. We have grey fox around here. Then a friend said coyote and then several others said the same around our area. So not 100%sure, but thinking it could be! Either way I’ve got to discourage it!!