Score: Chickens 1 - Coyotes 0

[hobbychickens1]

I'm new to this forum, but wanted to share a story from a couple of weeks ago. I let my standard chickens free range each day in the country in central Arkansas. They return to roost in my barn at night where they are cooped up and safe from predators. Habitat is mostly open fields with some woods.

A black sumatra hen of mine had two chicks that were about 4 weeks old and she would take them from the barn in the morning across the road into a large field bordered by woods each day. One day as I was outside I heard a startled cackle from the hen as she was near the woods and I looked across the road to see a coyote after her! I couldn't see the two chicks. I think she surprised the coyote when she jumped straight up into the air and flew like a pheasant for over 100 yards back across the road into the barnyard. I didn't know if the coyote had caught one of her chicks, but later she had returned across the road and led them back to the safety of the barn. I guess they had hidden in the weeds when the coyote came. I cooped them up for a week to train them not to go that far over there and so far it has worked. I was just surprised how good of a flier the black sumatra hen is! Score one for the chickens!

 

[chick4chicks]

Cool, I am so glad the hen and chicks are ok. Good job Momma hen.

 

[nnbreeder]

Don't celebrate yet, the Coyote now knows your flock is there and will be back, possibly even with young ones or it's mate.

 

[seminolewind]

People have told me there are coyotes in this area, and on occassion I do hear them, but haven't seen one yet. If they visit, I hope they come thru the paddock cause my mule WILL kill it.