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11:51 am
December 14, 2010
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I want all of the wildlife to be very afraid of me and people in general. I have complete regard for their need to exist but I want them to run when they see me.
12:40 pm
February 10, 2009
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Hey Littlebird, we have coyotes here too, but I don't believe we have too much interbreeding here in NE Ohio. (yet?) Everything I've read says that it is a very rare thing, and they've been doing DNA testing periodically to see if and where it's becoming a problem. So far it's in isolated sections, and it's really bad that you seem to be in such a place. It apparently takes an odd set of circumstances for things to hit that perfect storm of things coming together (no pun intended) where a domestic dog and a coyote to meet and mate.
Usually coyotes just kill domestic dogs, or rough them up and chase them away. Last winter when I was walking my half grown Aussie we were followed for a short way down a deserted road, the pup walked very stiff legged making a growl every step of the way back to the house, he sounded like a car that wouldn't start on a cold morning. I was very creeped out by it because 2 coyotes can really be trouble, but they stayed quite distant… I'd hate to think of more!!!
Leah's Mom! If you don't put meat scraps in your compost, only vegetable matter (which you won't after you have your chickens out) the interest level of raccoons and opossums (or possums!) will be pretty low. They may cruise by, but not hang around much. If your chickens are locked up well with no chance of access, they should be safe, just make sure the doors are latched tight and the windows have strongly anchored hardware cloth across them so coons can't pull anything open.
I'm thrilled that my dog patrols the woods every night, running around looking for raccoons to chase off. We can't ever say "raccoon" in the house, he rushes to the door thinking he's going to get to go out and race around trying to find another one to chase! He thinks it's the biggest treat! Good thing he loves "his" cats and only chases other cats and wild vermin off. 
12:54 pm
April 18, 2012
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Yes, the interbreeding is a strange and concerning phenomenon. Two counties to the west of us a few packs have formed and the farmers are out in full force looking for them.
Awww BuckeyeGirl! We want to get some Aussies for herding! Boyfriend wants a blue merle but I think the are all pretty. I love dogs! What color is your pup?
Forunately we only have cattle right now but we want to get some hogs and chickens and possibly some 'watch donkeys' and haven't yet had a problem with the coyotes or wild dogs although I did see a lone coyote when I was turning hay the other day. Where we live we thankfully do not have large predators like bear or mountain lion but we do have tons of raccoons, weasels, coyotes, wild dogs, bobcats, hawks, owls and possums. Will definitely be keeping all of them in mind when we go to build our chicken house.
1:26 pm
December 14, 2010
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Optical sights on a .22 caliber rifle will let you reach out a hundred yards or more to defend your stock.
3:37 pm
October 10, 2009
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I agree wholeheartedly with you Ross.
5:30 pm
June 1, 2010
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We have coyotes in our western suburbs…they've been caught grabbing pet dogs <30#. Local vet is concerned not only for dogs attacked but whatever coyotes can bring with them in way of diseases. It's been a really bz year for 'invasive' wildlife.
7:49 pm
December 14, 2010
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If you have electrical power to your outbuildings it would be worth while installing motion detector lights on the buildings with an alarm in the house. If you have a clear line of sight to the buildings from the house then you also have a clear line of fire.
8:40 pm
October 31, 2010
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Ross, I know you're thinking of having light to be able to see well enough to take a shot, 
but I've kind-of wondered if motion lights would scare preditors when they turn on. Perhaps they are too acustomed to being in populated area for this to work?
It would be nice if I could just put up motion lights and it would scare them away….wonder if there is any kind of contraption that turns on lights and makes noises like pots banging together or something…. If it's not out there already maybe I should invent one! 
8:45 pm
December 14, 2010
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They could be rigged to turn on a CD of a dog barking or someone shouting. They also make motion activated cameras.
9:08 pm
February 10, 2009
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I know they make motion detector sprayers that you put out in your garden and it's supposed to surprise deer and startle them into leaving it alone. I've also heard good things about these: http://www.niteguard.com/ but I haven't talked to anyone in person, it's just a case of hearsay at the feed store I go to, and what I've read on the internetz. I've considered getting a couple, mostly to put out near the front of the coop for those days when I may be late getting home or getting out to lock up the coop. They don't cost a million dollars so I may go for it…
9:25 pm
December 14, 2010
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Animals are very fast studies. They quickly learn whether or not the threat is real or not. I once threw a can full of tallow at a raccoon in the yard and he calmly went over to it and checked it out. I killed him a few nights later.
9:51 pm
October 31, 2010
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I have actually ordered and received niteguard lights. I read a lot of reviews and it seems they are about 80 pro and 20 con. The folks who are happy with them seem VERY HAPPY. But the other 20% say they didn't do anything for them.
I think one thing that you need to do is move them occasionally so they don't appear static. My thought is to move them slightly every few nights. It is very simple to move them since they just have to hang on a nail.
I figured I'd give them a try as I know there is at least 1 large coyote (which has been seen by various neighbors) and now the raccoon I saw last night…. And, like you said, they won't break the bank.
I guess I can give a report and let y'all know the outcome!
10:24 pm
December 14, 2010
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One wildlife photographer said that the camera flash did not disturb the animals at the slightest. They are accustomed to lightning flashes so the camera flash is just more lightning.
10:36 pm
October 31, 2010
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The flash of light on the niteguard is a red light that is supposed to simulate a preditors eyes at night rather than a bright flash of light as you would have from a camera.
The idea is that they think there is an enemy 
out there and they steer clear.
11:20 pm
December 14, 2010
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it will be nice if it works.
3:37 am
January 10, 2012
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…speaking of coyotes.. we have always heard them back behind our property where there is a wooded area.. in the last couple weeks they are practically on the back porch! They wake me nearly every night with howling within several feet of the house. Our neighbor has several dogs outside, last week he found a rather large coyote after his dogs… chased it for some time, only to lose it back behind our barns.
…we have given him permission to hunt in our yard at night with a red light, as last week a rather large doe carcess was left in his yard near his goat barn from the coyotes, by morning they drug it back to the woods. There is a pack now of about 8 that are running between our properties. We often have deer in the back, we are thinking now that they know there is a food source they will continue to brave coming closer and closer.
buckeyegirl, I am curious of the motion detector sprayers to perhaps keep deer out of the garden, can you tell me more?
Ross, I like your way of thinking.. I would like to get a pellet gun myself, there's a few unwanted critters that need irradicating here..
5:39 am
October 31, 2010
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I'm w/Ross on the gun too…just have some neighbors that would likely freak out if they knew!
9:56 am
April 18, 2012
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An interesting thing to do is buy or borrow a trail camera from someone and set it up and see what you can find in the dark. We did it last year and saw: our cows, deer, people (!), raccoons, a hawk, a fox, wild dogs, skunk all in one day/night set up.
We haven't had anything attempt the herd or calves yet. We have some pretty ornery momma cows. But since it is becoming a problem in our area we are thinking about getting donkeys sometime.
9:57 am
December 14, 2010
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A single shot fired from a shotgun will not give someone one hundred yards away time to determine the direction. A .22 caliber rifle shot probably won't cause them to look up from what they are doing. Now multple shots are another story.
10:01 pm
October 31, 2010
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My neighbor called me over yesterday evening….he lives about 200 ft away across the pasture I have the hen house in. He told me he saw a hawk dive down for my chickens. The gate from the 20x20 dog kennel part of their run was open to the electric netting but they were all in the 20x20 dog kennel part which has chicken wire over the top. He saw the hawk hit the chicken wire then fly away. He said the chickens were running in circles in there (thankfully none of them ran out in the open top enclosure!)
I had been closing the gate to the kennel about 1.5 hours before sundown but have been leaving it open later. I guess it's time to go back to shutting it earlier. (They get locked into the coop at dark…I'm only referring to shutting the gate on the fenced kennel part.)
Those of you who have dealt w/hawks – have the attacks been mostly just before dusk?
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