# Discusted and devistated, I have lost some more baby goats



## Speedy94c (Apr 27, 2012)

I thought with the purchase of my new female donkey that has been with goats for the last 6-7 years my coyote problems were over. I have lost 4 of my babies already this year to coyotes. I have traps out but they havent got into them. I just dont know what to do.  
I have been told to get a donkey or dog. I tried the dog but it wouldnt stay in the fence. I have 30 acres and I just dont know if another one would stay in or how to make them stay in. 


Any suggestions????????????????

This is very upsetting needless to say will get into the pocket book for I raise my goats to sell.

thx Steve


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## elevan (Apr 27, 2012)

You need a guardian animal.  Not just any donkey or a dog.  A true guardian animal will have been tested to measure their ability to guard.  Not every guardian type of species / breed is suitable for guarding.


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## ksalvagno (Apr 27, 2012)

Are your goats just out on pasture all the time? Can you lock them up in a barn at night? How many goats total do you have? Did you get that donkey from a reputable person? What proof did you have that the donkey did actually guard goats? Just because she was living in the pasture with them doesn't mean she was guarding them. Also what kind of fencing do you have up? That would make a difference with having guard dogs.


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## Chirpy (Apr 27, 2012)

I am so sorry for all the losses of your goats.   

Even though we have a German Shepherd that guards everything really well; I keep all my goats locked up in the barn area at night.  I don't know if you are able to do that or not.

As stated above; not all 'guard' animals are created equal.  Some llamas are excellent guard animals (I've watched my guard llamas chase down and pummel a coyote!) but most of my llamas are NOT guard llamas.  The same goes with donkeys.  

Good luck finding the right guard animal or situation for your goats.


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## DonnaBelle (Apr 27, 2012)

What kind of fencing do you have?? Run some electric around the existing fence.

Lock em up at night, the only way to keep them alive.

Get a dog that's been raised with goats.  And bred specifically to guard goats.

We don't have any kind of guard animal, and have not lost any goats, but ours are in electric fenced pastures, 7000 volts going through the wires.

DonnaBelle


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## SDBoerGoats (Apr 27, 2012)

Wow, sorry Steve, for your loss, It would devastate me too. I bring mine in at night, for that reason. We only have 25 at this time. So it might be harder for you to do that. But that's the only way I know mine are safe. Their pens are the ones right next to the barn and have high critter proof fence around the pens along with a 3 sided shed in each enclosure. 

I have heard that the guardian dogs are excellent, but you would have to train it or buy one already trained I guess. I'd be locking them up in the meantime.


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## BrownSheep (Apr 27, 2012)

I don't know what the laws in your area are but if you wanted could you bait and shoot? I don't mean even carcass baiting. A lot people call coyotes in and "remove" them in my area.


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## Speedy94c (Apr 28, 2012)

I have about 50 goats in my back pasture where Im having the problem. The donkey I bought with a herd of goats, They told me they have never lost an goat since they have had her. I have good web wire fence but they keep finding a way under or through it. 
I think the coyotes are doing this early in the mornings. I can lock them up at night. 
I had a Great pyranees dog with them at one time but he wouldnt stay in. 
Thanks for all your sugestions,
Last year I lost close to 40 sheep and goats all small ones in total to this problem so It is a ongoing thing but Im ready for  it to stop. I wish I could get some poisen and put it in some meat to take care of them  that way but there isnt any I can find that will do the trick.


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## 20kidsonhill (Apr 28, 2012)

Have you considered putting electric on the fence, 4 or 5 strands, starting low with the first strand?


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## iasc300 (Apr 28, 2012)

You need to get on an Arkansas hunting site or trapping site and request someone to come out and take care of your coyote problem for you.

Alot of hunters and trappers will do this for free. Find someone respectful and tell them your problem. I have no doubt someone will help you out.

On our iowa sportsman site people are always looking for new places to shoot them.


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## Mzyla (Apr 28, 2012)

So sorry about your loses. It is hard....

There is one member on this Forum, he goes under name  "MonsterMalak" and I believe he may live closer to your State of Residence.
He's got powerfull enough dogs to take coyotes.
Here is a link to his dogs:
http://www.backyardherds.com/web/viewblog.php?id=3914-boz-shepherd


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## scrambledmess (Apr 29, 2012)

We have people around here always asking for land to hunt coyote.   It shouldn't be too hard to find someone to come trap or kill your trouble makers.  If it has been an ongoing problem, you probably have a few that are picking off your herd.  Some coyote has set up a den near by and raised her pups near easy prey.


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## mydakota (Apr 29, 2012)

I just checked out his page.  OMG those are beautiful dogs.


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## jodief100 (Apr 29, 2012)

I have a pair of Great Pyrs.  They have been with goats since they were born.  I have seen them actively chase off coyotes.  

I think you need to either electrify your fence to keep dogs in or find a donkey or llama that is proven as a guardian.  Neither will be cheap but loosing kids isn't either.

I am so sorry you are havign this trouble.  It is tough.


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## cutie123600 (Apr 29, 2012)

Have you tried a guard llama? I have a friend that has one, he chases down coyotes like crazy.


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## manybirds (Apr 29, 2012)

llama's work amazingly against coyotes i hear


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## elevan (Apr 29, 2012)

manybirds said:
			
		

> llama's work amazingly against coyotes i hear


They can, yes.  But not all.  It's very important to get an animal that has been identified as a guard, which not all are...same goes for dogs and donkeys.  Individual personality is what is applicable when dealing with guardian animals.


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## marliah (Apr 29, 2012)

Coyotes are awful  we have loads of them living in the woods behind our house and have even seen them come in broad daylight and pick off our chickens! We house our goats at night but we only have four, with as many as you have you would have to have a giant barn so that's probably not an option. It's the only way I have been able to keep any of our animals safe, if I skip a couple nights of locking them up something ends up eaten.


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## beckyburkheart (Apr 29, 2012)

Mzyla said:
			
		

> So sorry about your loses. It is hard....
> 
> There is one member on this Forum, he goes under name  "MonsterMalak" and I believe he may live closer to your State of Residence.
> He's got powerfull enough dogs to take coyotes.
> ...


I have meet and visited with monstermalak and his pack  

Highly highly impressed - so very much so i put a deposit on a puppy. 

If you are looking for a guardian, i recommend you talk to him. As far as I know, my litter sold out, but he has had another one since, so he might still have some pups available.  He also has a good network of livestock guardian breeders.  I can't remember any in your area, but I'm confident he will help you if he can.


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## Missy (Apr 30, 2012)

Might I suggest a shotgun and a cup of coffee? 


Anyways, sorry for your losses, I agree, talk to others who have LGs and see what they use and who they got them from. My boxer has done well to protect the goats, we don't have a night time predator problem, The hounds keep the coons and such away at night, and Dayna(boxer) guards by day. I am by no means suggesting getting a boxer as a LG though. She is more protective of her yard and property then anything else, but it works to my advantage, I have not lost a chicken, goat, duck or anything else since she has been on duty, I have an Appen Spitz hen to sits watch all day and if anything enters the yard that is not normally there, she calls out and Dayna comes running

We don't have a Coyote problem up here, either rather we have issues with Coy-dogs being around.


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## redtailgal (Apr 30, 2012)

Missy said:
			
		

> Might I suggest a shotgun and a cup of coffee?
> 
> 
> Anyways, sorry for your losses, I agree, talk to others who have LGs and see what they use and who they got them from. My boxer has done well to protect the goats, we don't have a night time predator problem, The hounds keep the coons and such away at night, and Dayna(boxer) guards by day. I am by no means suggesting getting a boxer as a LG though. She is more protective of her yard and property then anything else, but it works to my advantage, I have not lost a chicken, goat, duck or anything else since she has been on duty, I have an Appen Spitz hen to sits watch all day and if anything enters the yard that is not normally there, she calls out and Dayna comes running
> ...


ug coy-dogs.  We have a yote population around here, and the locals keep them pretty well in check.  But there is also a constant supply of coy-dogs running around.  The coy-dogs create more trouble than the yotes.

We pee (well not me, the men do) on our fence posts.  It's worked wonders at keeping yotes and coy-dogs away.  We also sit up at night and listen...........about 2 am we can hear them hunting, learn their location and figure out where they are denning.  They often come home to find their young have died.   Often if they get too close to the house, we will go out and sound a air horn or a few louder shotguns.  It scares them to the other direction and they learn not to come our way.

I dont like to kill them just cause they are yotes, but a little population control helps tremendously.  We keep the pack small, and they are able to live off the wildlife easier, thus keeping the livestock safer.


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## Speedy94c (Apr 30, 2012)

Worked all day on putting the electric fence up yesterday. Lastnight my and my son were working in our shop and heard the yotes howling and my (smartmouth)son says they just got a goat.  I worried all night about them
and got up early and went to the back pasture and counted and they were all there. I checked my wire and one or two places needed another insulator so I fixed that and think im alright for a while. 
Hope this works. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
Steve


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## redtailgal (May 1, 2012)

Speedy94c said:
			
		

> Worked all day on putting the electric fence up yesterday. Lastnight my and my son were working in our shop and heard the yotes howling and my (smartmouth)son says they just got a goat.  I worried all night about them
> and got up early and went to the back pasture and counted and they were all there. I checked my wire and one or two places needed another insulator so I fixed that and think im alright for a while.
> Hope this works. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.
> Steve


kids.  sometimes ya just wanna.......  lol.  I have two boys who make wisecracks like that sometimes.  What goes thru their little pea-brains?

I wish you well, I've spent a few nights worrying about the yotes myself.


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## memela (May 11, 2012)

I live in south lousiana & we have a bad problem with coyotes. So I know your problem. We have 83 acres with cows & 18 goats. We have a big barn we lock the goats up at night. We also added lots of lights by the barn but you can still hear them howling. When we hear them we sit up with the guns if we get lucky & kill one we hang it on the fence post. it will scare them off for quite a while. they want come where they know theres danger. We have also put up electric fence just to have them tear through it every night. we put out traps didn't catch a one. The guns are the only thing that works for us. We have had a few young guys that love to hunt that have came out & put out some really stinky old meat and sat in their truck till they come. killed a few that way too. right now haven't heard any in awhile. so good luck to you. You just have to do what you can.


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