heart broken... coyote... my final say

[aprophet]

mmaddie's mom :

Today (and for a while) all are safely in their pen. Took a closer look at the golden bird and am pretty sure he is a roo! He just needs to grow up a bit.

Thanks for all the responses.

Can anyone speak to the coyote call question?
google johnny stewart or crit'r caller there is kina a learning curve to the mouth blown one the electronics are much easier


Agreed... I really didn't WANT to use the anti-freeze... but I was putting the idea out there.​

 

[CT_Todd]

mmaddie's mom :

I am a firm believer in free-range... they are meant to be free. I am sure it is a coyote. My question is this... is there ANY way to rid myself of this predator?

If they are meant to be free they are meant to be eaten....Its meant to be...you can get THIS predator (and make yourself feel better) but the next one is in line....


Sorry thats just reality there given what you believe????

Maybe a protection dog is a strong option. I wish you luck!​

 

[edithbunker]

I just lost my RIR about 2 hours ago, they are free range as well. I keep them in a coop when I am at work because I lost one a couple weeks ago and didn't want to lose another and when I come home I let them out and check on them periodically. I went down there about 630 to give them tomatoes 10 mins later I went back down and no sign of my RIR. Feathers everywhere. No body. The other chickens didn't seem spooked at all. Im confused but I know I have a lot of hawks AND raccoons. So sorry to hear that. From now on I will be keeping my caged in, I cant bare to lose another. I only have 2 left...

 

[weesy68]

I've always said the best guard dog is a flock of geese. They will run anything off, nothing scarier than a pack of hissing geese chasing you!

 

[CT_Todd]

I am new to all this but everyother post in this section seem to start with HEART BROKEN and then followed by 'free range'.....
leads me to believe free range = free meal...???? I see the posts OVER and OVER again??????

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
Well someone needs to tell my geese that. They are scardy geese. 4 Pilgrims, 1 Sebastabol, and 7 Africans and not one scared off the predators. And last year the geese got eaten by them, picked off one at a time.

Now me.... they used to scare me and hiss at me, but....those well, they were delicious!

 

[callducklover20]

I was the one talking about the coyote call-it is a good ole country boy that we went to school with that does it-he grew up learning all that stuff on the farm, I think it takes a lot of practice to be able to do it. There is a group of guys that goes to different farms having problems and helps out-probably just like those USDA hunters. Oh definitely do not use Anti-freeze, yours or someone else pet will end up getting in it and its a horrible death. My friend never lost a bird until the coyotes figured out they were there and an easy meal-now they wont leave and show up at all times of the day, they are now way too brave and way too smart knowing that they are being tricked by the call. She hasnt lost a bird in a month so I think the pen is finally secure and keeps everyone locked up-hopefully they will leave-her Zorse (half zebra-half horse) and the donkeys are great at keeping everything away that comes near them-I feel sorry for anything that tried to mess with that Zorse lol. I think the electric fence, net and red beam lights all in combo should work great-I dont really even like the idea of killing something just because it is hunting for its meal, its our faults living in their areas and providing easy pickings for them. I do understand why people want them dead and wont get mad or say bad things-I just dont like it

 

[babalubird]

I agree w/the dog. It will take a while, maybe raise a livestock guardian breed around the chickens. It does take training and time, but probably the most reliable way to prevent it in the future. Connie

 

[mmaddie's mom]

Thank you all for the good ideas... night predator lights... electronic coyote calls... and especially donkey, geese and zorse.

For now, the girls (and one young, non-crowing roo) are locked in the pen, while I check out my options... can't wait for the beans to come down.

@ CT_TODD... to free-range or not to free-range, that is the question... OH... no... wait... that ISN'T the question... that would be a whole other post and thread...

 

[aprophet]

I have several farms I trap for and they free range but I trap really hard during the trapping season and once or twice in the off season normally about july when they have a loss or 2 they just call me out and I knock the preds down a bit the preds here seem healthier not over run with then either