Chickens and coyotes...

[dirt ditch]

Right now the coyote is used to entering your yard looking for an easy meal. I would bate it out in the open with some store bought chicken, shoot it, then get some more chickens.

 

[oosik]

The problem with shooting the one coyote - you know there is more than that one. About three months ago the neighbor killed seventeen in a two week period. As far as I can tell - it didn't make one iota of difference. There are still the three major packs in my area. The loss of the seventeen simply allowed those on the outer periphery to move in closer.

Around here the coyotes are simply a part of the stable environment and one must learn to live with that.

BTW - NOBODY around here even tries to raise chickens.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Anybody here every tried a predator light? I met guy a while back that swears by his; says he has seen tracks in the snow where they have been repelled from his chicken coop.

Nite Guard | The Original Predator Light & Protection

 

[greenmojo]

Right now the coyote is used to entering your yard looking for an easy meal. I would bate it out in the open with some store bought chicken, shoot it, then get some more chickens.

Thats the plan.

I haven't blasted any coyotes for a few years, been busy building a house! But here is one from 2 years ago in front of the house, with my 6.5 grendel.

The problem with shooting the one coyote - you know there is more than that one. About three months ago the neighbor killed seventeen in a two week period. As far as I can tell - it didn't make one iota of difference. There are still the three major packs in my area. The loss of the seventeen simply allowed those on the outer periphery to move in closer.

Around here the coyotes are simply a part of the stable environment and one must learn to live with that.

BTW - NOBODY around here even tries to raise chickens.

I will single handily make this a chicken friendly zone... of course, I'll have to do some serious damage to the coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, raccoon and black bear populations. They are free to eat anything they want on the other side of my property lines.

Anybody here every tried a predator light? I met guy a while back that swears by his; says he has seen tracks in the snow where they have been repelled from his chicken coop.

Nite Guard | The Original Predator Light & Protection

That's an interesting system, I like they are solar and I can just go place them anywhere. Hmmm, I might grab one or two and see how they work out. Thanks!

~Moses

 

[Threepoint]

[snip]
I will single handily make this a chicken friendly zone... of course, I'll have to do some serious damage to the coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, raccoon and black bear populations. They are free to eat anything they want on the other side of my property lines.
[snip]

Moses, you're kidding, of course? Even around here folks put their chickens up at night. What's the point of maintaining a killing field, whether it's the chickens or the wildlife?

 

[GLyford]

I have only actually seen a coyote on out place one time, but I know they have been by more often than that, to raid the compost if nothing else. That was in the morning, about an hour after sunrise.

The coop and pen has a "predator rated" fence around the bottom perimeter, and a dusk-to-dawn CFL spotlight as nightlight (which we refer to as a "skunkchaser"). If the hens are let out into the general yard, we make sure the door is shut once they have come back to roost at dusk.

So far, we have only lost hens to hawks, and deer netting over the pen has cut that problem way down (it's loosely draped over with gaps, not perfectly sealed).

 

[greenmojo]

Moses, you're kidding, of course? Even around here folks put their chickens up at night. What's the point of maintaining a killing field, whether it's the chickens or the wildlife?

Yes, I was kidding, but only partially. ;-)

 

[CCWKen]

That's an interesting system, I like they are solar and I can just go place them anywhere. Hmmm, I might grab one or two and see how they work out. Thanks!

I looked at the site and see that they are NOT motion activated. They flash all night (dusk to dawn) and charge during the day. At $20 a shot, I would have expected motion activated.

If you do get some, keep us updated.

 

[greenmojo]

I looked at the site and see that they are NOT motion activated. They flash all night (dusk to dawn) and charge during the day. At $20 a shot, I would have expected motion activated.

If you do get some, keep us updated.

Ah, I didn't catch that they aren't motion activated...

 

[dickfoster]

We had 7 chickens... today, we have none.

For the past year and half, we left the coop open and the chickens were free to come and go as they wanted. They'd run around the cows and horses for protection and jump into the pine trees when frightened.

Then 1 month ago, we counted only 5.

Then 2 weeks ago, we counted 3.

Then yesterday we saw 1.

Today, there are no chickens.

... I was working on the solar panel rack the day before yesterday and saw a good sized coyote chasing a chicken around one of the horses, the horse just stood there following the action with its head as the chicken and the coyote made tight circles around him. I jumped down, didn't have a rifle nearby, so I ran over to the circle circus, and the yote bolted off out through the sage. Apparently coming back last night for the last one.

I just find it odd that they've been running around for 18 months out there, why all of a sudden this month... I was completely surprised they made it the first 2 weeks (told the wife they wouldn't make it a week) we put them out there, and I am not surprised they ultimately became coyote bait, just strange to have made it that long in coyote country.

~Moses

With all the coyotes around here I'd never even try letting them run loose. I even bring my dog in at night. My next door neighbor keeps his chickens inside of a fence area day and night.
Coyotes eat the critters, deer eat the plants and bears might be tempted to eat both. I might eat the deer or two, maybe a bear but never the coyotes as those are reserved for the cougars.