Murphy strikes again...

[Chunck]

After going through my hen stopping laying, all the worms and losing all my new chickens, Murphy strikes. The old hen had laid one new egg. She was just starting to produce again after being stressed out from the coop getting blown over. Friday the 10th of Feb I found her dead in the neighbor's yard just over the fence. My neighbor was just texting me when he saw me out there. He told me he just saw a coyote killing his three chickens and taking off. Murphy is a real #@$&%!

How can I keep my chickens safe from coyotes and still let them have run of the yard?

 

[Zoomie]

I'm so sorry for all your difficulties. That just really stinks. All that stuff... life is just not fair.

You probably can't keep a free range chicken safe from the coyotes since the coyotes now realize there are chickens there. They will be back... and they'll keep checking, because that was a real wonderful experience for the coyotes. They will remember this for a long time.

I would recommend to keep your chickens in a covered and well-protected run. I know it's not nearly as fun as having them free range, but you can at lest keep your chickens alive. Since the coyotes are apparently jumping the fence, you could try an electric fence... but it might not work if they figure out how to jump over it.

I have to do the same thing. I live across the street from the National forest. It's actually part of the charm of living here: we see wildlife on a daily basis. Having my chickens secure means I can enjoy seeing a fox, coyote, bear, etc etc and not have to worry about my chickens. If you live in an area filled with predators, utilizing your opposing thumbs and big brain to make the chickens safe is about all you can do.

 

[Chunck]

Building a predator safe environment is my next step. The coyotes can clear a 6' fence with little effort. A covered enclosure that has a securely buried base is my best bet. Unfortunately it's going to have to wait. My chicken funds are pretty depleted right now.

Some of my problem is the people that move here after living in the city for years and don't realize that there are dangerous predators here. They actually feed the coyotes. They treat them like you and I would treat the wild birds. Then they wonder why the coyotes follow them when they're jogging. Then complain that they're pets disappear and don't understand why.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Zoomie]

@Chunck haha, yeah, we have that too - people move in here from the city and do some pretty silly things just due to ignorance. On the other hand some of their antics make great stories at parties. Just make sure the perpetrator does not get too embarrassed!

In the interim while your chicken budget builds back up, you might check Craigslist for a used dog run. You can occasionally come across one for a very good price, it might need some work but it might work for at least a little while. I've found all kinds of odd stuff on there that can be turned into chicken holding pens.

May your luck turn for the better in the future! And wow those coyotes sound scary... ours are at least afraid of people!!