Lost my first bird last night...

[eXoMajorPain]

My fiance and I went to town last night and left the birds out. We've done it so many times. We were on our way home when my father called and told me that there was a large coyote chasing chickens around the back yard. I couldn't get home fast enough. When we got home, most of our older girls came running to us. But our 3 month old chicks were nowhere to be found. I parked the truck and didn't even turn it off. I was off to the safe for a gun. By the time we got out to the Coop, the coyote was gone. We found 1 RIR chick huddled in a corner shaking and I found the rest of our Chicks under the Coop, hiding. When everything calmed down and we had all of them tucked safely away in the coop, I found the pile of feathers in the corner of our backyard. One of Black Sex Links was gone. I'm pretty heartbroken about it. We will be ready if that sucker comes back looking for an easy meal! Thanks for letting me vent a little bit.

 

[sumi]

So sorry to hear of your loss Hope you can and will get the coyote soon!

 

[Folly's place]

So sorry! Keep your flock in their safe coop and run for a while, at least. Can you add electric fencing to your yard? That works really well to keep out ground predators.
Getting that particular coyote would be nice, but more will come, along with every other predator over time.
Mary

 

[SchultzWoodworking]

Sorry for your loss... they make a remote controlled distress calling system for calling coyotes in... may need to use a bird or two as visuals or buy decoys...hope you blast him & the whole pack...

 

[Coon Cotten]

My fiance and I went to town last night and left the birds out. We've done it so many times. We were on our way home when my father called and told me that there was a large coyote chasing chickens around the back yard. I couldn't get home fast enough. When we got home, most of our older girls came running to us. But our 3 month old chicks were nowhere to be found. I parked the truck and didn't even turn it off. I was off to the safe for a gun. By the time we got out to the Coop, the coyote was gone. We found 1 RIR chick huddled in a corner shaking and I found the rest of our Chicks under the Coop, hiding. When everything calmed down and we had all of them tucked safely away in the coop, I found the pile of feathers in the corner of our backyard. One of Black Sex Links was gone. I'm pretty heartbroken about it. We will be ready if that sucker comes back looking for an easy meal! Thanks for letting me vent a little bit.

So sorry for your loss.

 

[janiedoe]

I'm so sorry.
It always leaves me feeling guilty when I lose a chicken to a predator.
We do the best we can and learn from our mistakes. I truly enjoy my chickens but I've come to terms with the fact that I'm going to lose some and it will always be my favorites.
I hope you get the coyote.
Again I'm so sorry this happened.

 

[Chicken Heel]

Sorry for your loss. I had a similar experience last fall when I arrived home after dark to find my favorite Buff Orpington hen killed by a starving feral tomcat. She would come into the coop and sing to me as I gathered eggs. I have since adopted the tomcat which is pretty amazing as my younger self would have killed it. But coyotes are a whole other story as I lost a sweet terrier/poodle mix named Max to one a few years back and don't have any tolerance for them.

 

[Callender Girl]

So sorry about your Black Sex Link. I understand your heartbreak too well.

But thank goodness you managed to save everybody else.

Coyotes are about the most adaptive and resourceful predator around. Good luck with keeping your flock safe.