Pack of coyotes circling the coop last night...

[mamabahre]

Our neighbor was nice enough to come by this afternoon and inform us that when he was outside on his deck last night (it overlooks our backyard) he heard a bunch of yipping and saw at least 6 coyotes right near our coop/run...

This morning DH and I both noticed the outer door to the run, not the actual coop just the run, was pulled out a bit on the bottom like something had been trying to pull it open. Neither of us thought anything of this until our neighbor told us about the coyotes...
All in all I feel pretty ok about our coop's safety. The door to the outer run could theoretically be ripped open but then the other 2 doors that actually go INTO the coop are double locked top and bottom and I don't think a coyote could get in unless it literally gnawed through the wood..

I'm just freaked out now. We know there are coyotes all over the neighborhood but they generally don't come into the yard so close to the house. I don't really know what else we are supposed to do against a coyote let alone a full pack of them. We can't shoot them here (not that I really would anyway seeing as more would just come right along) but maybe there is a way to keep them further away from the coop/run itself??

At least we know they can't just rip the coop apart, so good for DH for making it secure!

A crazy probably totally stupid thought that popped into my head would be to magically acquire bear urine and sprinkle it around the run...That is crazy I know but this one of the thoughts that popped into my head.

 

[aggie9296]

electric fencing, if you can, is supposed to work wonders on coytes.

 

[WhetzelMomma]

aggie's suggestion is the one I'd second... especially if you can't shoot.

 

[Capvin]

We have a very secure coop and run but our concerns about bears has led us to begin putting up a perimeter electric fence. Don't want to, but if we lost a chick my wife would be too upset.

 

[mamabahre]

hmm in theory we could do electric fencing..my daughter touches the fencing A LOT though and we move the coop/run around a lot..It is sort of a chicken tractor (not the classic A-frame) that we move every 2 days or so into a new patch of grass. We are building a more permanent coop that will be predator proof to everything except bears...Coyotes wouldn't dare come out during the day would they? I am just thinking of my chickies free ranging on the hill....

 

[JPHorvath]

Shoot Them!

Or they will get into the coop trust me. If you can't do that then get someone else to do it for you. Trapping and relocating will not work; unless you move them couple hundred miles away. We are starting to see them up here. I think that may have been the culprit that ripped up my big Tom Cat last spring. He has been extremely cautious outside since that happened. He used to want to stay outside all night now he wants to come in by 10:30pm. Safer inside.

 

[gavinandallison]

I agree, if you don't own a rifle go buy one. The cost and shooting of a coyote ouyweighs the loss of your chickens!

 

[CrestedGirl]

You could try digging part of the fence a foot or two under the ground, I have heard that works.

 

[drumstick diva]

Coyotes DO come out during the day, we have them in the Chicago suburbs and I have seen them often on morning walks. They also don't scare easily if you throw things or holler.

 

[mamabahre]

I would shoot them myself. I love all animals but I don't mind killing when I feel it absolutely necessary. We LEGALLY cannot fire a weapon where we live...WAY WAY too close to neighbors for it to be even a little bit safe or legal. The police would get called and there would be some major issues involved. The police were called on the neighbor's kid for firing a BB gun one afternoon...We are just way too close to other houses...

I would at least pop them with a BB gun but I don't know if that would do a thing.

Ugh...I wish I could shoot them...it really would be the only way to protect the girls. I just got 2 new babies too, not that they are in the coop yet.