Coping with Coyote attack...

[TeenageRooster's Dad]

I lost 3 of my 8 hens last night to a pack of coyotes, 2 Light Brahma and my Rhode Island Red. I grew up on a farm so not really new to this per say but our girls are more like family pets roaming (and pooping) the yard.

So this hit pretty hard , especially that I went down to close the gate a little later than usual. Spent the rest of the night rounding them up, found 2 that ran away; Baby Rooster, a Dutch Bantam and Baby spice who's sweet but little clueless and usually last one in the coop, prob what saved her feathers.

Few questions:

• I usually cut these monsters loose in the yard around 9AM until they line up to get in the coop. I kept them in today, would you recommend keeping them locked in for a few days?

• Would adding motion detector lights be enough of a future deterrent?

• As a 42yo, 5'10", 240lb of soft muscles... Am I getting soft for crying a little? like I said, I grew up on a farm but we really cherish our girls, names and all. Mrs Scarlett (sweetest Rhode Island Red) almost got away but got snipped enough to be deadly, she was still alive when I found her, died in my arms .

• My property is 2 acres all 5' cyclone fenced, so are all my neighbors, I have a hard time figuring out how they got in and out. Are coyotes know to climb/jump that height?

• I have a feeling they'll be back soon... am I taking it too far to seek revenge.. traps, a sting at dusk with may be involved

Wow, spilling my heart here lol (but hiding pain..)

Thank you guys!

 

[PirateGirl]

• We have coyotes roll through regularly. I would definitely keep them locked up for a week. I feel like the coyote visits tend to come in waves. I will see and/or hear them almost every day/night for a week or so and then they will be gone for awhile. Then maybe a few weeks later they will be back and I will see/hear them regularly for a week or so and then gone again.
• I don't think a motion light is enough of a deterrent, but it wouldn't hurt. I have one on the back of my house pointing towards the field they frequent as well as on my coop. If nothing else it's been useful when I take my dogs out after dark and go to lock the chicken coop door for the night. I don't count on it to keep predators away, but if I see that it's been tripped, I know something may be lurking about and I go outside and make a ruckus and check on things.
• You are not soft. It is natural to care about the animals that you care for on a daily basis. You are in good company on BYC.
• coyotes could jump your fence. You could look into making coyote roller bars for the top. They also could dig in, so definitely walk your fence with a careful eye to look for anything amiss.
• revenge is your call, just stay within your rights and within the law and be safe in how you handle it, you will get lots of advice, but only you will know what's best for you

 

[Thyme4Chickens]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Is electric fencing an option for you? (ETA: unless cyclone fencing is electric?)

 

[SueT]

Yikes! Are you sure it was coyotes? Yes, they'll be back, I recommend locking up your chickens for several weeks, and then only letting them out when supervised.
You could look into livestock guardian dog breeds.....
We lost 2 to coyotes last year. All chickens got locked up in a new bigger run for months. I now let some free range a lot of the time, others only when I'm with them, and there's a group of the youngest who never get to go out. I really like those pasture raised eggs, so that first group is the 2 oldest, wisest hens , plus the extra cockerel.

 

[TeenageRooster's Dad]

Thanks @PirateGirl, much appreciated, I can use a lil' tap on the back today .

I looked into roller bars, that's a great idea, good news too is my 2 acres is well compartmentalized so that would make it easier. I can already picture squirrels going hamster wheels on these.

 

[TeenageRooster's Dad]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

Is electric fencing an option for you? (ETA: unless cyclone fencing is electric?)

I think that would be a great option and easy to deploy.

Dear Tractor supply,

 

[kwhites634]

I lost 3 of my 8 hens last night to a pack of coyotes, 2 Light Brahma and my Rhode Island Red. I grew up on a farm so not really new to this per say but our girls are more like family pets roaming (and pooping) the yard.

So this hit pretty hard , especially that I went down to close the gate a little later than usual. Spent the rest of the night rounding them up, found 2 that ran away; Baby Rooster, a Dutch Bantam and Baby spice who's sweet but little clueless and usually last one in the coop, prob what saved her feathers.

Few questions:

• I usually cut these monsters loose in the yard around 9AM until they line up to get in the coop. I kept them in today, would you recommend keeping them locked in for a few days?

• Would adding motion detector lights be enough of a future deterrent?

• As a 42yo, 5'10", 240lb of soft muscles... Am I getting soft for crying a little? like I said, I grew up on a farm but we really cherish our girls, names and all. Mrs Scarlett (sweetest Rhode Island Red) almost got away but got snipped enough to be deadly, she was still alive when I found her, died in my arms .

• My property is 2 acres all 5' cyclone fenced, so are all my neighbors, I have a hard time figuring out how they got in and out. Are coyotes know to climb/jump that height?

• I have a feeling they'll be back soon... am I taking it too far to seek revenge.. traps, a sting at dusk with may be involved

Wow, spilling my heart here lol (but hiding pain..)

Thank you guys!

5' is no problem at all for a coyote.
I'd leave the birds up for a week, at least.
Is there enough artificial light, like from the house, at night in the coop/run area to get a clear shot if you were concealed outdoors somewhere?
If you happen to be a deer hunter, you're familiar with pop-up blinds. This would be a good time to put one up...again, if there's any shooting light

 

[snow5164]

Roller bars are easy to make , look it up ! I’m sure you can do it. Never feel you have to hide your feelings, my hubby talks to the girls all the way to the butcher block . He’s all man but I love the soft side of him . Good luck fighting with the coyotes.

 

[TeenageRooster's Dad]

Yikes! Are you sure it was coyotes? Yes, they'll be back, I recommend locking up your chickens for several weeks, and then only letting them out when supervised.
You could look into livestock guardian dog breeds.....
We lost 2 to coyotes last year. All chickens got locked up in a new bigger run for months. I now let some free range a lot of the time, others only when I'm with them, and there's a group of the youngest who never get to go out. I really like those pasture raised eggs, so that first group is the 2 oldest, wisest hens , plus the extra cockerel.

I'm definitely going to fence up a "second stage" run, got enough cyclone panels to reproduce a Guantanamo setup.

Getting a dog is on my todo list this month as well, wish I had already . Would you recommend a specific breed that would also be kid friendly? He will most likely be outside full time, being in SoCal probably all year around.

 

[SueT]

Would you recommend a specific breed that would also be kid friendly? He will most likely be outside full time, being in SoCal probably all year around.

I don't have a dog, but would get a Great Pyrenees.....they have a natural inclination to protect livestock, but need to be trained. Super lovable. But really big! They live outside w the livestock.
I saw these on Craigslist recently, $250 each. My husband doesn't want a dog, sigh...