Since I last posted I've lost 3 chickens to a very wiley coyote that lives in the wildlife refuge that borders our property. Sigh. The first two happened when I was out of town. We'd started to let the chickens free range during the day but in each case the chickens weren't put back in the coop early enough before dusk to prevent a snatch and run. The third happened today while I was home.
I had brought home 2 chickens, a year old mother and her 3mo chick, from a friend and I'd had to separate the mother out of the main coop because she was attacking the resident juvenile hens with intent to kill. Anyway, I let her live in the barn which she seemed to enjoy. I added a 3rd chicken this past weekend that is a 6mo old and very docile and she got along with the youngest hen and my other two juveniles. So all 4 of them were in the coop today because of the rain. The 5th girl had spent the storm in the barn but clearly came out as soon as it stopped raining. Seems the coyote realized the horses weren't in the pasture (which borders the wildlife refuge property line), and our dogs weren't out on our deck, due to the rain and he/she came strolling by and noticed the one out by herself. She gave him a run for his money based on the feathers I found scattered around. I got outside in time to scream at the coyote as he/she carried my girl back into the woods. So sad!
No more free range! That coyote is getting smarter but the chickens aren't! So now I have my original Easter Egg hen, one of the two original Black Astralorpes, a Golden sex-link, and a "mutt" chick that looks a bit like my Easter Egger. At least those 4 are now living in harmony so I'll keep them "under wire" going forward. I have a moveable coop with an attached outdoor run my husband made to enlarge their "grazing" area.
I'm so sorry my chickens had to feed a coyote due to my inexperience!
) Please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your flock.
