I lost half my flock today...

[mener6896]

I woke up this morning around 5:30, I heard the roosters crowing and thought it was a little early for them. My yellow lab, Lucy, was growling at my bedroom door, she usually only does this when she’s hungry so I got up to feed her. But when I came home from taking the kids to school, around 8:30, I realized what the commotion was this morning. Apparently there was a coyote attack. I lost 13 birds, including all 3 of my beautiful black cochin roosters. They were trying to protect the girls. I could only find 7 bodies, so I’m not sure if they carried off the others. I did have 1 hen that was bitten on the neck, and is walking with a limp, but hopefully I can nurse her back to health. My heart is broken, I knew at some point this could happen. I feel awful because I left them out free ranging all night, they usually go in their coop at dark, but must have come out early this morning. I have a pretty secure run, but for some reason the door was closed so they couldn't run into the safety of that. The girl’s that are left are quite stunned. Even both my dogs are sad. Daisy (my little Cavachon) usually runs in the middle of the flock and chases them when we go to greet them in the morning. Today she just walked around the dead ones, sniffed them, and laid down.

My husband is taking a 1/2 day off work. He's coming home to help me take care of the dead ones, but only after stopping to buy a rifle for those coyotes!!

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Oooooooooooooooooo I HATE coyotes!!! Sorry for your losing half your flock today.

Here's a few hugs for you.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

I am so sorry. What an awful thing to happen.

 

[Elite Silkies]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

 

[Keenonf]

I'm extremely sorry. You should take the rifle to the range and practice. Next time they come around, you'll be ready. If you don't have kids, keep the gun loaded and ready to fire. Happy hunting.

 

[deerman]

Sound more like dog attack your chickens. Dog will leave dead chicken everywhere, coyotes take what they kill ,of leave just a few parts.

DOGS kill for fun
Coyotes kill for food.

 

[The Chicken People]

Sorry about your loss! Deerman sounds correct on that! Any loose dogs around?

 

[mener6896]

I hadn't thought of that. I am missing 6 birds though, I only found 7 bodies. There aren't typically loose dogs, I live in the country. I know there are coyotes really close to my house. My husband thought about baiting them to see if he can kill them. My backyard backs up to a gravel pit, so there aren't super close houses (we have 8 acres). I have a few neighbors with dogs but have never seen them in my yard. There wasn't a lot of blood around, if that helps, just lots of feathers.

 

[gckiddhouse]

I am so sorry for your loss.

We recently lost most of our flock to a pack of coyotes. They dug a hole under the chicken yard and got them out of the hen house. With that many gone, there would have been a pack of them. Coyotes go on a killing spree before eating. So that is why there are dead ones still in the yard. That is typical of coyotes. If you have 6 missing, then there were probably 6 coyotes.

Unfortunately, if they got a good meal from your yard, they will be back for another. You are going to have to either stop free ranging your birds, or kill every last coyote in the pack. I vote for the later. We keep a gun by the door, but those things are sneaky and quick. I have only gotten a shot at one. Not sure if I got him or not. But he ran off. You might want to set a trap of some kind.

We currently have the pack of coyotes as well as a family of bobcats that patrol our area and have each gotten a good meal from our yard. They come back all the time. We are trying to borrow a game cam so we can see what is coming and when. I would like to put out a trap, but don't want to catch any neighbors' dogs. Eek!

We only let the chickens out, now, when we are home, and usually at the end of the day, so that they will be going back in soon. Also, my husband drove 3' iron steaks into the ground every 4" around the chicken yard. So now it is an underground jail cell and nothing can dig under again. I feel like they are safe in there, now, but I am angry that they can't free range as much.

We just have to take out the local predators. We all know it won't affect the coyote population one bit if we take out the local pack. So, do it my friend. YOU be the top predator in your territory. Employ the SSS principle. (Shoot, shovel, shut up)

 

[gckiddhouse]

Quote:
Yeah, I wouldn't agree with that. Yes, dogs do kill for fun. But coyotes kill in a frenzy by the same instincts. They are dogs, too. Dogs just don't need the food. Coyotes are hungry, so they will eventually take what they can carry.