Lost our FOURTH to a Coyote.... HELP

[hokankai]

We don't need a hot wire on our coop, because the problem is that I don't like keeping them in their coop/run. It's big enough for them, but not as big as I'd like and there's no grass in it so it's boring for them. That coupled with the fact that we don't have another fenced in area for them is why it's going to be pricey. We'd have to either build a fence around the property, build a larger fenced in area down by the coop, or get moveable electric poultry fencing which is all kind of spendy.

 

[centrarchid]

Consider building a small chicken tractor for about $100. I use a chicken tractor for each hen with chicks. Hens and chicks spend all night and most of each day in tractor. Near end of day when I and dog are present, the hens are released with broods for a couple hours. While birds are free ranging, chicken tractors are moved, feeders and waters are re-armed and ends of tractors are propped up so each hen can be called back into same although moved tractor at about dark.

You could do similar by having birds move from coop to tractor in morning and from tractor to coop in evening. This will involve minimal training that is very easy. They are already imprinted on coop for roosting so you need to have them hungry in morning so they will go straight to tractor in morning.

You may have to shore up your chicken tractor design relative to mine. Most of mine use only chicken coop wire and nothing is done to deny digging predators. This is possible for me since chicken tractors I have simply slow predators access to birds enough for dog to get on scene.

 

[BillinPA]

Instead of trapping it, put out a pile of bait (old meat craps) and wait. you might end up with one of 2 sleepless nights but sooner or later you will a good shot.