Keeping Chickens Free Range

[duluthralphie]

We got hit by coyotes yesterday. Lost at least 10 of my boys and a few girls. No bodies; just piles and piles of feathers. I won't be home for another week. None of the dogs got hurt, thank goodness, since they gave chase. That leaves me with a single lf roo; 2 lf cockerels, and a few remaining bantams. They got a few ducks, but no guineas. I'm still hoping some will come home after a bit. They were also chasing calves, so we've got some help in the lead dept. Girls estimate about 1/4 were taken, and out of 175ish- that's a lot. How many yotes could take that many in a matter of minutes?

We are heartbroken. No horses hurt; cats are ok; no punctutes on the dogs. The really scary thing is, they were seen multiple times of the day while my girls were outside.

Oh No!!!


May the coyotes "disappear" from your area soon. I know the feeling all to well. I hope some find their way back when they feel safe again.

It would have to be quite a pack with lots of teenage pups I would think to take that many.

 

[centrarchid]

We got hit by coyotes yesterday. Lost at least 10 of my boys and a few girls. No bodies; just piles and piles of feathers. I won't be home for another week. None of the dogs got hurt, thank goodness, since they gave chase. That leaves me with a single lf roo; 2 lf cockerels, and a few remaining bantams. They got a few ducks, but no guineas. I'm still hoping some will come home after a bit. They were also chasing calves, so we've got some help in the lead dept. Girls estimate about 1/4 were taken, and out of 175ish- that's a lot. How many yotes could take that many in a matter of minutes?

We are heartbroken. No horses hurt; cats are ok; no punctutes on the dogs. The really scary thing is, they were seen multiple times of the day while my girls were outside.

Even if a pack involved, more than a few minutes as they could not carry a lot of birds off in a single trip. Going after multiple targets / types of stock in a single visit atypical.

 

[duluthralphie]

Even if a pack involved, more than a few minutes as they could not carry a lot of birds off in a single trip. Going after multiple targets / types of stock in a single visit atypical.

I tend to agree it was a pack that made several sneak attacks before they were noticed.

 

[Tikkijane]

Oh No!!!

 

May the coyotes "disappear" from your area soon.  I know the feeling all to well.  I hope some find their way back when they feel safe again.

It would have to be quite a pack with lots of teenage pups I would think to take that many.

Thanks. I'll plug them when I get home if they are still around. We're on lockdown for a few days until we can assess the overall. I hate keeping them in, but better than sending them out to die, at this point.

 

[Tikkijane]

Even if a pack involved, more than a few minutes as they could not carry a lot of birds off in a single trip. Going after multiple targets / types of stock in a single visit atypical.

They were all in together-ducks/chickens in the pasture with the cows and calves. It was opportunity.

 

[Tikkijane]

I tend to agree it was a pack that made several sneak attacks before they were noticed.

The really crappy thing is, my youngest daughter {12 and as big as I am} was right there and saw the whole thing.

If it was over time {like a few hours}, are they taking bodies to the den and coming back?

 

[duluthralphie]

The really crappy thing is, my youngest daughter {12 and as big as I am} was right there and saw the whole thing.

If it was over time {like a few hours}, are they taking bodies to the den and coming back?

That would be my guess. or stashing them somewhere.

 

[centrarchid]

That would be my guess. or stashing them somewhere.

Caching.

Foxes do not go far with catch. Coyotes I do not know how far they go with such a bounty.

 

[Tikkijane]

That would be my guess. or stashing them somewhere.

Sometimes dens could be miles away. My guess is there's got to be one somewhere closeish. Can gators get adult yotes? Or are we it for control?

 

[centrarchid]

They will not be reporting back to den this time of year. They may have multiple cache sites. If you take a walk you may be able to find them not far from kill site. Unless someone saw coyotes directly doing this I would not rule out dogs. Some dogs will cache and eat chickens just like wild canids, just like wild canids. They would also chase more than one type of prey.