goats and coyotes?

[RockyPhoenix]

your first thought was probably that i am out of my mind and want to keep coyotes and goats together!

i was just wondering how goats do against preds like them? each night my goats will be locked up in their shed and let out each morning at the crack o' dawn...would they chase them off or would coyotes probably not mess with goats? they are two Toggenburgs also
thanks for your help!

 

[ksalvagno]

I would not trust coyotes. Goats won't chase off coyotes. They will run from them and I'm sure coyotes would find it fun to chase them. I guess it depends on your fencing and if coyotes can easily get into your pasture. I don't think coyotes would make a big effort to get into your pasture if your fences are good.

 

[RockyPhoenix]

my fences will probably be adequate to DETER coyotes but since they will be kept inside at night it will only be good enough to keep my babies in and the strays out! plus both of our neighbors have fairly large dogs and horses so shouldnt have TOO many problems!

 

[Bossroo]

Just to let you know what can happen when coyotes are around ... My neighbor looses up to about 20% of his herd to coyotes and he has a 5' high wire mesh fence + 2 strands of barbed wire on top + electric wires. His 110 lb Rottweiler was no match to coyotes... he found his head and hide and not much else after they feasted on his carcass. I had 33 head of horses and I lost 2 foals to coyotes. I lost both of my 90 and 95 lb. of solid muscle Boxer guard dogs to coyotes. Please don't take them lightly.

 

[patandchickens]

Yah, the goat folks I've known have generally had ongoing trouble with coyotes (the ones living in coyote country, that is, which these days I guess is almost everywhere in N America) and sometimes had significant losses.

We have really big bold numerous coyotes around here (coy-wolf hybrids, they say) and I lock my sheep into a night yard with digproof perimeter, strong 5-6' fencing and a couple lines of well-charged hotwire. I still worry whenever the coyotes are holding their own version of American Idol right next door, though... and I'd worry just about as much if I had goats instead of sheep.

(e.t.a. - wouldn't count on horses keeping them away. I get coyote tracks thru the front paddock, maybe 30' from the run-shed where the horses usually choose to sleep, on a frequent basis in the winter. And this is WITH one of the horses being violently anti-canine, having attacked loose dogs in the past)

Pat

 

[RockyPhoenix]

idk if they would even come up by our house tho...our neighbors have chickens and theyve never messed with them and we havent ever actually seen a coyote out here....idk ill probably put up electric around the outside of the pen anyway with the money i saved from my shed that i am buying (hopefully)

 

[elevan]

Most people don't "notice" any sort of predator until it attacks their animals. Believe me if you live in North America you've got coyotes out there. And if you live in the North Eastern United States you've got Eastern Coyotes which are bigger and more aggressive.

Don't take chances and do what you can to protect your animals.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

hey bossroo!


RockyPhoenix
the coyotes around here are pretty brazen and unless you have stock you may not know how bad it is. they might not be interested in a few hens but as soon as you have some "meat bags' hanging out in your field... you might be ringing the dinner bell.

and nope, as herd animals goats are no match for a bunch of coyotes working together.

locking them up at night is great but keep an eye out. one of the local farmers had coyotes eating his calves during the daytime.

yikes!

good luck!

 

[RockyPhoenix]

thanks everyone!

 

[patandchickens]

idk if they would even come up by our house tho..

I've had what HAS to be coyote scat on our back deck steps, more than once.

As others have said, you quite often don't notice any sharks til you start chumming the waters.

Goats are definitely chum

Also it is much easier to prevent them from getting stock the first time than to prevent repeat losses once they have discovered the buffet. After they've had their first kill at your place they get more persistant and test your defences a lot harder.

Pat