The coyotes here aren't afraid of people! *Big rant and questions*

[Lacrymosa]

I am building a new coop for my poultry and was wondering what is the best wire to keep out these animals?
NOTE:
These coyotes here ARE NOT AFRAID OF PEOPLE and come out in bright daylight. They came up to the fence surrounding our house (but not our pastures) and went after our Field Labrador (huge hunting Lab)
When my mom walked up to the other side of the fence near the coyotes, they didn't back off. The neighborhood send out a note to homeowners that you CAN shoot them if they come onto your property, and my mom said that if I see one, since there are little kids that come to the park behind our house where they are seen, that I can get my deceased father's shotgun and kill it.
We have seen enough deaths in this family (dad died infront of me from heart attack, both cats came home with intestines ripped out from coyotes and later died, etc etc) and WE ARE NOT LOOKING TO MESS AROUND with these animals.

Now I'm even afraid to go camping out in the woods behind our house... I do not deserve to have this extra stress built up!


So does anyone have to deal with these animals also? What do you do to keep them away?

 

[CMV]

I'm sorry for your tough times.

Coyotes can be kept at bay with hardware cloth which is welded wire. Most will recommend 1/2 inch to also deter raccoons. It's expensive, but worth it's weight in gold. An apron or burying the wire will also prevent digging. Coyotes are great diggers.

Coyotes are facing tough times, too. They attack your animals because they are being crowded out of their habitat by human encroachment. I'm sorry they have killed your cats. We cannot have outdoor cats here where I live for the same reasons. Coyotes are trying to survive like the rest of us, but that doesn't make it any easier when you get an up-close and personal view of their handiwork.

We have a steady population of coyotes that live in my area. My neighbors keep the numbers in check by picking them off with a gun when they get too bold. Having 2 good-sized dogs around keeps the coyotes out of our yard and in the forest. Most predators in my area are very wary of humans because we live in an area that is heavily hunted and trapped. Our coyotes have learned that straying too close to people gets you harassed by dogs and possibly shot. I know of no other deterrents for them other than that.

Good luck.

 

[Airplaneguy57]

Another issue we Texans need to worry about is rabies. Down here there is several counties that have had outbreaks. Build a Fort Knox coop since you can't always there. For times you are 12 gauge with buck shot. For those who don't make it then problem solved. For those who got away may have a health fear of humans. I take the protection of those in my charge very seriously. To include my chicks.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
trap them and kill them until your problem subsides I have several farms I do this for that are predator free exclusion is only half the battle trap and kill trap and kill repeat until the problem subsides it works

 

[holachicka]

So sorry for your losses!

We have them here too, but not bold enough to not be scared! I agree, trap and shoot, especially if there are kids around, it will be much easier than trying to get a clear shot off making sure kids are not nearby. I also would make a fort knox coop! Good luck!

 

[Mellykins]

I am worried that if they are coming out in broad daylight with people they may have rabies or some other disease. Hope you find a solution to this problem.

 

[sparkles2307]

Call DH and I what you will, but the gun case is easy to access and if we see something we dont like out the window we shoot it. Its nothing to get excited about anymore if one or the other of us is running down to the gun case, we rarely even run outside to see what the commotion is about. There are too many coons, foxes, and Coyotes in our area...we get 'er done.

 

[PhilErvin]

I totally agree with shooting these predators when possible but in the mean time I would buy the strongest electric fence charger and put plenty of strands of wire up. I'm all for letting the wild life survive and have never killed for sport but when it comes to protecting me and mine I will do whatever it takes to NOT live in fear.

 

[Frogdogtimestwo]

We live in an area with a huge coyote problem, they come and wait at my fence line any time of the day, they are not afraid either. We cannot shoot them as we are in an acreage development and have neighbors on 4 sides. They have stopped coming onto our land as we added electric fencing to all animal pens and two acres has 8 inches off the ground a wire and one at the top of a 5 foot chain link fence. I would highly recommend lining your pens with electric we have not lost anymore hens after doing this.

 

[Chickiemama1010]

Shoot em. If you are worried about letting off a gun in your neighborhood, you can try trapping them, live or otherwise. just look into ordinances. sometimes rules are diff for traps. But I say, shoot them. I am with `sparkles. We have a gun easily accessible near the back door, in the barn, and in the upstairs closet. Not loaded of course due to a small child in the house, but ammo w/i close reach. I have shot coyotes, raccoons, opossums, and all kinds of groundhogs out my bedroom window, back door, or just from the yard. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I try to co-exist w/nature, but if its going to hurt someone, or kill my animals, or wreck my foundations and my yard (groundhogs) its gotta go.