Today I just had another attack on my chickens. It's been two months since I've witness a coyote attacking a chicken and Yesterday it happen again. A coyote mauled a red cochin bantam hen in front of the hen house and I seen it carry off a black hen in it's mouth going across the road running. This really upsets me to the point where I don't know what to do anymore. It's been two months since my chickens were free ranged and I didn't have this problem til now. What should I do? I hate and I mean hate keeping my chickens cooped up but I believe I don't have a choice right now. Please any solutions would help right now. I feel so helpless and I care for my birds. This coyote is going to be another problem yet again I wish and I hate saying this but I wish there would be more trappers I don't have problems with dogs but just coyotes. My dogs are so dumb I'm really thinking about just giving up on them it's been five times now that they just watched a coyote come up to the hen house and not bark or at least attempt to chase it away. I'm really rethinking about getting different guard dogs and these two dogs are huge strays that I kept and saved but they are just not working for me I don't want to see them leave but I can't seem to get over the fact they don't even chase the coyotes away. They chase dogs and bark at the horses but won't chase coyotes it's very upsetting. I might just have to give them up and agree with some of the people who have respond earlier about getting rid of the dogs if they are just going to watch a coyote steal chickens. So please info and help would be helpful. Be brutally honest I don't mind. -Lance Baker Arizona
We've had coyote problems for several years. A few years ago, it took them 2 years to find my chickens. I didn't have chickens for a few years, then recently Someone gave me some roosters because they couldn't keep them in their residential area. Took them home, left them in the coop for a few weeks so they knew where they lived, let them free range and within 1 wk lost all of them to coyote. We decided to get our first pullets, but built a run. They only free range when we are outside right by them. My dog, a Bichon mix, did chase a coyote last week from right over the ridge near the chickens. I wish I could let them free range, but can't. I have a smaller dog, who alerts us to predators..she won't chase them, but the chickens know enough to run and hide when they hear either one of the dogs bark and run. I also keep my shotgun close by...just in case.
Quote:not with snares at crawl unders look for fur on the bottom of your fences hang a snare easy peasy fox are just as easy
Its kinda gross, and I dunno that it'll help, but a friend of mine pees around the perimeter of his property whenever the coyotes start getting too brave around his house. My brother told me he does that if he kills a deer and cant get it to the truck right away. Both swear that male human urine keeps the coyotes away. Good luck finding a solution!
Your dogs may have experienced and survived a coyote attack. If hungry enough they will try to lure your dogs away so that they can kill and eat them. Snares or shoot them. Many times shooting one family member will educate the rest.
