Two weeks ago it was Codswallop, then yesterday a coyote got hold of Mazel. Amazing I was able to run outside and yell at him, he dropped her and she ran back to the pond. She had some neck wounds, we treated them and she was in a hospital cage in the house, but she's dead this morning. And just yesterday we got only our second egg from her - and ate them for the first time, and they were lovely. Then not an hour later she's grabbed! It's terrible.
I'm considering expanding my horse paddock to include the duck pen and the pond. People have been recommending donkeys. The pond is like a quarter or third of an acre when full and has trees and undergrowth around 3 sides, and lawn on the house side. It's up against a property line so we can't really clear trees entirely. It's also beside a walking trail, which is part of why I'm thinking defense instead of SSS. If I've a fence on the woods side of the pond, at least it'd be a barrier a coyote would have to jump very near the water, and hopefully that'd give the birds a heads up to get in the water to safety. And our mini horse isn't afraid of any canines and is protective of her goats, so would she deter as well as a donkey?
Daytime predators have been the only problem, the night pen is secure.
I'm considering expanding my horse paddock to include the duck pen and the pond. People have been recommending donkeys. The pond is like a quarter or third of an acre when full and has trees and undergrowth around 3 sides, and lawn on the house side. It's up against a property line so we can't really clear trees entirely. It's also beside a walking trail, which is part of why I'm thinking defense instead of SSS. If I've a fence on the woods side of the pond, at least it'd be a barrier a coyote would have to jump very near the water, and hopefully that'd give the birds a heads up to get in the water to safety. And our mini horse isn't afraid of any canines and is protective of her goats, so would she deter as well as a donkey?
Daytime predators have been the only problem, the night pen is secure.