The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

Funny timing, my MIL asked me the same thing last week. They got 6 eggs one day and only have 4 hens. I believe they were simply hidden in the coop.
When I told her that she said "What?! They horde?"

What they ^ said. Anytime you take out the alpha male (usually the leader) and/or alpha female another will rise to the the place. Their social structure is very much like wolves. They fight for their territory and they will not give it up easily. It would be hard for them to move into a new area and they would have to fight off the current 'owners' to gain the rights to that territory.

Coyotes have been know to enter houses to try and take small children. That is rare, but the more they are around people the less afraid they are of them.

Here is Texas they live in small packs, sometimes just a mated pair and their offspring.

That's why people should be associated with their buddies: Smith and Wesson (or Samuel Colt), etc. You get the idea. I don't carry a gun, but if I think there's a chance that coyotes are around, I don't want to bring a kitchen knife to a teeth-and-claws fight!!!

Coyotes have a pecking order

if you will. Even if you take out the Alpha another will rise up and take the place. While they will likely move on from the area they will return, as they are very intelligent.

I live in Colorado around Black Forest and have coyotes in the area. Some get very bold and will walk right up to you. Talking with some locals I found the best way to keep them off your property is a large dog (trained to deal with coyotes), and leaving your human scent around the property. They then believe a larger predator is in the area and tend to stay away. You many get the occasional problem but nothing as bad.

Raccoons on the other hand are a whole different story.

I have boys, this will be easy!!!!

 

[lazy gardener]

That's not a dog. It's a LION!!!

BEARS?!?!?!?!?!?
Why would "they" introduce such a dangerous predator...removing man from the top of the food chain...and what about children????
Sorry, I'm off the soap box again.

I'm surrounded by trees. My 7 y.o. is getting bigger, it's a balancing act between refusing to live your life in a state of fear, and taking reasonable precautions.

 

[TeaChick]

The coyotes here are never a threat... That's the point. They will not challenge my Maremma. I don't need to kill them... I simply need to protect my livestock. Traditional livestock Guardians work in pairs or packs... I have enough Maremma that a few hundred chickens and a hundred new born lambs (with their moms and all the cattle too), are at zero risk from any predator. I don't want to waste my time or ammo unnecessarily.

This is how I feel about it. =)

 

[hellbender]

This is how I feel about it. =)

Coyotes aren't the greatest problems. Coy-dogs and coy-wolves (Red-wolfXcoyote and dogs too) have been caught/killed in this area. The 'dog' part has made the equation far more difficult to deal with..but deal with it...we do.

 

[TeaChick]

Coyotes aren't the greatest problems. Coy-dogs and coy-wolves (Red-wolfXcoyote and dogs too) have been caught/killed in this area. The 'dog' part has made the equation far more difficult to deal with..but deal with it...we do.

I'm curious, how does the dog part make it harder? More intelligent, less intelligent, less afraid of people, something else?

 

[hellbender]

I'm curious, how does the dog part make it harder? More intelligent, less intelligent, less afraid of people, something else?

Naturally less fearful of humans...

 

[TeaChick]

Naturally less fearful of humans...

Ugh!!!

 

[RedRidge]

 
Coyotes aren't the greatest problems.  Coy-dogs and coy-wolves (Red-wolfXcoyote and dogs too) have been caught/killed in this area.  The 'dog' part has made the equation far more difficult to deal with..but deal with it...we do.

I'm curious, how does the dog part make it harder?  More intelligent, less intelligent, less afraid of people, something else?

The biggest problem with coy dogs is that they kill for sport... they don't always eat their kill. So, unlike coyotes who come in and usually only take one a night, coy dogs will come in and kill 50, tear limbs of another 30, then leave (all in an hour) - been there, done that... I had a great guard donkey in the adjoining pasture (Lotta good that did me).

My donkey is now guarding the sheep at Biltmore Estates. I switched to Maremma and haven't lost any livestock ever since... more versatile, more intuitive.
That said, I carry 24/7... When it gets serious (like with the cougar the other night), I want to be able to help if necessary. I've never had to, but the coy dogs and big cats get braver all the time. They are not as predictable as they used to be. Besides, my husband trusts the dogs to protect me, but he trusts my shot more. ;-)

 

[aaggjg]

Yeah that's right she is hiding & looking guilty!!! Know why?? This scrappy little thing CROWED again. Marched right up the hill to the upper patio, looked down on the other hens and crowed. She's got in trouble!!! She isn't even the Alpha hen

 

[hellbender]

The biggest problem with coy dogs is that they kill for sport... they don't always eat their kill. So, unlike coyotes who come in and usually only take one a night, coy dogs will come in and kill 50, tear limbs of another 30, then leave (all in an hour) - been there, done that... I had a great guard donkey in the adjoining pasture (Lotta good that did me).

My donkey is now guarding the sheep at Biltmore Estates. I switched to Maremma and haven't lost any livestock ever since... more versatile, more intuitive.
That said, I carry 24/7... When it gets serious (like with the cougar the other night), I want to be able to help if necessary. I've never had to, but the coy dogs and big cats get braver all the time. They are not as predictable as they used to be. Besides, my husband trusts the dogs to protect me, but he trusts my shot more. ;-)

This is true...it's also good that you 'carry'. It's an un-written law in WV, provided you are not a batterer or felon, every citizen must be armed. lol

Not too many 'home invasions' here or to keep it kinda' on topic...not many chicken thieves either...