I woke up this morning to the sound of chickens going nuts. I look off the balcony to see a coyote standing right next to our chicken coop. My dad ran out and chased it off. He got out his gun, but by the time it was loaded and out of the safe, the coyote was long gone. Thankfully, we didn't lose any chickens today, but it was close. Since late spring/early summer, we have lost 10 chickens to coyotes. I really don't know what to do. I determined it was slipping under the fence at the bottom of our hill at first, so I blocked it off . That stopped attacks for a little while. Since then I have blocked up more and more areas where the coyote has been slipping under, but we are still losing birds. It sounds really odd, I know, but human urine at a few points along the fence line deterred the coyote for a few months. Unless it's just a coincidence. Now it's getting colder and rainy and we have lost about 4 birds in the last two months. I have asked my parents if we could get an LGD, but they say we have enough animals. I kind of have to agree, we aren't in a position to get a dog right now. I have asked about giving up on free-ranging and building a large run, as well as getting an electric fence. Too expensive. I really want to put an end to this, but I don't really know what to do. I am thinking about determining how much money we lose for each chicken killed, maybe that will convince my parents. I love having chickens, and we have many loyal egg customers. I hate watching them get picked off like this. The only reliable way really is a good fence. Is there any other options, anything I can do to deter the coyote? Thank you so much!
Building a large run is the only way you'll be able to protect your flock short of being there with them-- which in my case, I have witnessed, didn't even help when a chicken was taken from me only feet away! They're wild animals and are hungry-- they will not stop until they find a way, you can be sure about that. One thing I noticed kept the animals away from the coop (this doesn't help when the chickens are out and about) is literally peeing around the coop. Sounds weird, but it works. They're animals and respond to the scent of another animal. Do you guys garden? If so, I offer a suggestion I use, and that is I built a fenced wall four feet from my garden's border. The garden is fenced in too because deer will wreck our garden. Anyway, then on one side, I have the fence built ten feet from the garden border. What this does is it creates a run the surrounds my entire garden. The chickens are safe inside the run and the garden safe from the deer and the chickens. I have a large food for both the run and the garden, large enough to fit a wheelbarrow. During the winter, the chickens "range" the entire complex, garden and all. And then a month+ before planting, I close off the garden again and prepare the soil etc. The chickens have tons of room and benefit almost continuously from fresh greens etc. I even built them their own garden bed with wire on top-- got the idea from this forum and is called a chicken salad bar. The chickens are NO LESS HAPPY than when they free ranged-- especially if you consider that they are actually alive. Best of luck with your coyotes problems!
A coyote will jump a 4-foot fence like it isn't even there. You'll need at least 6, preferably 8, feet if you want to keep them out. Also a hot wire on top will discourage them from climbing. On the other hand, scaring them away and keeping them from finding out you have a food source for them may encourage them to look elsewhere for chicken dinners.
Quote:The four feet was in reference only to the distance from the garden border to the run fence, not the height. Should have specified that...my run is 8 feet high....most because the deer can jump six feet!
I haven't had a problem with coyotes coming over my 6 foot privacy fence, BUT I have large dogs. If the dogs are in and I hear coyotes, the dogs go out. Teaching a rottweiler to bark on command is challenging, but so worth it. My hens are in a relatively secure run, from dogs, coyotes or coons. Bad news - just realized I need a second run. On the other lot. I have some gate repair to do on one, and a second gate to add, and I will still need a secure roofed run. But I want this one movable. The dogs are not allowed on the other lot. But a bark is a bark is a bark, and I can walk them around it and let them pee. Male dogs are good at this actually... And I keep my gun loaded.
Urine is not going to discourage coyotes from coming around. If you think a yote knows your urine from any other animal you are kidding yourself. Get some #2 foot traps and set some dirthole sets around the area. This will work. Get a gland lure from a trap supplier such as Leggett's Trapline Supply. They have a lure called Coyote #1 & #2. Either will work, I think the #2 is for colder climates. google will find them. Anyway we use urine as a scent hider and attractant to the set. Once trapped killing them is easy even if you are a bad shot.
I had three coy dogs that kept the coyotes well away. When they died the coyotes moved closer and closer to the house and barn... nabbed one of my baby goats and a duck all free range. My new dogs bark which helps but they don't patrol the border so... Whenever i hear coyotes at night I shoot at them or make a lot of noise with my dogs. I also flicker the lights on and off in my barn or get in the truck and flicker the high beams on and off in their general direction. I try anything to signify that i know they are there and that they better get lost. The next day...I don't just pee by the barns and coop. I pee in four or five spots way out in the woods about 10-ft in from the edge of the field. I also go on a border patrol walks with my dogs for the next few days. I make a ton of noise, pile broken tree limbs as i go. I do anything to have a presence and some kind of dog/human scent. They get the message and respect the boundary but they still test it every once and a while and will move right back in if i don't reinforce the boundary right away.
