Hello there, Mr Coyote!

[Broody_Mama]

We moved out to rural america last November. Bought a two hundred year old farmhouse and loving it. Property had a large, well secured coop so I figured I'd start my farm with a small flock of chickens. They are doing good for the most part (except one with wry neck that I'm struggling with ).

After hearing about all of the coyotes, bobcats, bears, eagles and such in the area, I thought it would be cool to put a trail camera outside a few months back. Since then I've caught lots of neat things - squirrels, my kids, more squirrels, the UPS guy, one rabbit, oh... and did I say squirrels?

Well, I finally moved my chickens out from the brooder and into coop early last week. Two days later, there's a coyote on my trail cam! Guess all I needed to do to catch cool critters was get some critters of my own... tasty ones, ones that taste like, well... chicken

So, those more knowledgeable than me - is there anything I can buy to deter coyotes from the coop area? It seems well secure, including the run, but animals are crafty when they are hungry. I have motion sensor lights on the coop and I've been peeing my dogs over by the coop, but not sure if there's anything I can buy?

Unfortunately, my dogs would eat the chickens faster than a coyote would, so I can't use them as protectors! lol

 

[Trish1974]

Adding an electric fence around the run and coop is the best security. I wouldn't trust sensor lights, as the coyote may get used to them over time, and I'm sure they are probably already used to the smell of your dog's pee. This time of year predators are feeding babies and get bold and desperate when it comes to finding prey. Congratulations on your new property and enjoy your chicken adventure!

 

[Broody_Mama]

Adding an electric fence around the run and coop is the best security. I wouldn't trust sensor lights, as the coyote may get used to them over time, and I'm sure they are probably already used to the smell of your dog's pee. This time of year predators are feeding babies and get bold and desperate when it comes to finding prey. Congratulations on your new property and enjoy your chicken adventure!

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm a little concerned about having an electric fence with our two small kids, but I guess they'll either learn by listening to me (hahaha... yeah, right) or the hard way (more likely) if we go that route. I will look into it.

 

[techbsmith]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm a little concerned about having an electric fence with our two small kids, but I guess they'll either learn by listening to me (hahaha... yeah, right) or the hard way (more likely) if we go that route. I will look into it.

Yanno..when I was a kid I pee'd on an electric fence once... ONCE. Thank the heavens and all the angelic protectors of idiots like me, it was a pulsating one so at least it was a quick ZAP and cut me off mid-stream so to speak.

If the kiddies don't listen...it'll just take once

 

[Trish1974]

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm a little concerned about having an electric fence with our two small kids, but I guess they'll either learn by listening to me (hahaha... yeah, right) or the hard way (more likely) if we go that route. I will look into it.

Like @techbsmith said, they will only do it once! I did not grow up in this new coddled, helmeted, stay-in-car-seat-til-your-12-yrs-old world. I grew up on a farm with electric fence, and accidentally touch it a few times after I was warned to stay away from it. I did not die or have any permanent injuries. Its good for kids to learn a REAL lesson sometimes! But on a serious note - I don't think I would have a flock left if I didn't have an electric fence. I wouldn't keep such vulnerable livestock without one.

 

[Broody_Mama]

Like @techbsmith said, they will only do it once! I did not grow up in this new coddled, helmeted, stay-in-car-seat-til-your-12-yrs-old world. I grew up on a farm with electric fence, and accidentally touch it a few times after I was warned to stay away from it. I did not die or have any permanent injuries. Its good for kids to learn a REAL lesson sometimes! But on a serious note - I don't think I would have a flock left if I didn't have an electric fence. I wouldn't keep such vulnerable livestock without one.

My kids are far from coddled. But I still care about keeping them safe. Same as I do with the chickens.

How do people free range chickens if an electric fence is a requirement? Or do they all eventually get killed by wildlife?

I'll look into it. Coop is wired, so should be an easy add.

 

[Trish1974]

If you check out @Howard E profile page he has a great article on setting up electric fence. You can make it as small or big as necessary.

 

[Cayuga momma]

My kids are far from coddled. But I still care about keeping them safe. Same as I do with the chickens.

How do people free range chickens if an electric fence is a requirement? Or do they all eventually get killed by wildlife?

I'll look into it. Coop is wired, so should be an easy add.

As far as electric fencing goes it's more to protect the chickens in the coop at night or if you free range and have an attack you keep them in there as a lock down procedure for a couple of days. There are some ways to protect your free range chicken.
Hanging cd's or dvd's in trees (anything that is metallic and shiny) dogs, and your presence helps, but most people that free range expect possible losses. Kinda the same concept of living in tornado areas. You know you could get hit, but it doesnt prevent you from living there. You just try to protect the best you can and have a lockdown procedure.

 

[RWise]

A friend peed on the wire once, many years ago, it was very funny watching him laying there peeing all over himself, he never did that again!
I had an opossum come up and decide to fight the wire, when I went looking for the short I found it. Thing had grease running out about 4 feet. I gave it to the dogs, possum sausage! I had a charger for 100+ miles of wire on about 30 feet of wire. When it bit the wire it could not turn loose. When the zap stopped it fought, until it died.
As for the coyote, this sounds horrible but it works. Shoot one (or more), hang it on the fence, in a bush, hanging from a limb, any un-natural position. If you leave it lay they will eat it, and not have a second thought, hanging like that drives them away for at least 3 years.
Here I have not seen or head the coyotes in some time, but the city is moving in all around me.
One more note on the electric fence, make sure the charger is in correct working condition. My last one is solar powered.

 

[Howard E]

How do people free range chickens if an electric fence is a requirement? Or do they all eventually get killed by wildlife?

Folks who do true "free ranged" birds are a predator's best friend. Serving up an endless buffet of bird, or at least endless until they are all gone, which they will be in short order.

The term you are looking for is "yarded", as in confined within a fenced enclosure (chicken yard) that affords them some protection from predators. The yard can be as large or small as you like, but done right, it will provide the birds with enough variety of cover and food options to keep them happy......yet still alive.

Best way to establish the perimeter zone of protection is with the electric fence. Think "shields up Scotty!". With nothing to stop them, predators can be bold and persistent.....coming right on in.....up close and personal. They have everything to gain and nothing to lose.

An electric fence changes all that.........predators don't have a clue what an electric fence is.....only that they encounter this fence thingy not unlike every other fence thingy they negotiate on a daily basis........the same ones they can slip through like water.......except this one bites back. More like blasts the bejeezers out of them. What had been of no concern to them at all......free to concentrate on their next meal........now becomes a serious threat. Instead of a meal, they get a violent painful shock......one they have no desire to experience again. So they move on.

The silly thing is the same fence that keeps predators out also keeps the chickens in. Huge upside......and almost no downside to you, except the need to maintain it to keep it working. A small price to pay for happy, healthy birds that get to live a long, long time.