Please help with predators

[Chicken Outlaws]

I am new to raising chickens. We live in the city with 5 10 week golden buffs. I've chased off my share of cats and dogs, but yesterday a coyote made a bee line for my day run area. I scared him off to, but how can I deter these predators?

During the day the chickens mill around in a landscaped island with plenty of bugs, plants, grasses and interesting things to keep them busy. I circled the 5 x 20 island with 3 foot hardware cloth. They can get out when ever they want, but seem happy enough not to.

At night I have been bringing them in the house in, which my hubby is not happy about so he build them a 10 x6 "poul house". He put in a base of hardware cloth under the masonary blocks them built the house on top of it, with 2 large hardware cloth windows for ventilation and so the chickens can look out the window before I get up in the morning. To make me feel better he added a 2nd solid house inside of the "poul house" for them to sleep in.

Tonight should be their first night outside.... and I'm nervous because now they are my pets.....

I bought a live trap, should I set it up immediately tonight? Do I set it up near the chickens house (will I be protecting them or leading preditors to them?) What should I bait it with? Once I do catch something, how, with out a gun, do I send it to meet it's maker? (remeber I live in a city that outlawed "domestic poultry" years ago after issues with organized cock fights).

 

[chickensioux]

I personally would not lure animals with bait to the area of your chickens. Just because you catch one or two doesn't mean they won't keep coming. Especially raccoons and there are plenty of them in the cities. I would do whatever you can for them during the day to keep them safe and keep them up at night until you get a coop built. Mine are within a fenced area that has an electric wire during the day and at night everyone is locked up tight. Good luck