rachels.haven's Journal

As a side note, anyone know how to get rid of coyotes? Not even sure if it's legal to kill stock killing things here (other goat lady with a gun down the street says we are, BUT...). We were in and out of the house this afternoon and it came out of the woods, i'm assuming several times during the brief "in" periods, in broad daylight and killed and carried off 4 of 6 chickens and terrorized the goats. I saw it as it carried off the 4th chickens and chased it into the woods with a 2x4. It was way bigger and broader than the ones I remember when I lived in the south, and way bolder and slower but definitely a coyote-just a little larger than the size of a labrador, which is NOT what I remember. Apparently they've been killing people's dog childs in the cities/areas around ours so it was only a matter of time, I guess. The goats are not happy and fretting and stuck in the barn. I'm down with a cold and not sure what to do anymore, but having a plan always makes me feel better.

Also,
why was that thing so HUGE?

As far up as ya are in New England there could be Canadian wolves coming down....probably being drawn to the deer as they birth and the easy young.....I don't know it as fact, but there has been talk about coyote/dog crosses, or hybrids, out there, so may be something along those lines.....also, if ya have a Lowe's....they carry cattle panels, and they deliver free within 50miles.....
....got the TSC paper today and they have the panels on sale for $20 ea.....maybe ya can get someone to haul it for ya, cheap....teens will do it for $$....even if they have to use Grandpa's truck and trailer to do it with...."they are helping a friend Move some stuff".....

Check with the authorities on shooting the coyotes. Or just SSS. I can't imagine predators being so bold as to walk into an area with people present. We hear them at night, I've never seen one. My chickens are locked up at night. I guess the 2 alpacas are safe inside the fenced area but I suppose if a pack of coyotes were really hungry they'd go after a 150 pound alpaca.

They will "call" others in for the hunt , to help out....

Wow, I forgot about Lowes. That was a good idea. Although I don't think they carry or deliver them here-which strikes me as odd if TSC doesn't deliver either. And I guess I could ask on FB livestock forms about someone hauling panels for me-a little later though. I'm a little sick. We've got some kind of virus going through the house.

In regards to the coyotes. I popped into our city FB chatter page and warned the neighbors not to let their cats and dogs out. Neighbors pointed out that most "coyotes" here are either coy-dogs or coy-wolves and they are bold. They have out competed and interbred with coyotes to the point they aren't coyotes anymore. So I feel less crazy. They really are different around here, and I'm not just some crazy city kid. In Arkansas and Tennessee 20 years ago coyotes were coyotes. They aren't big and ate cats and sometimes small dogs, farmer's calves as they were born. Here, they are large and unafraid and willing to take on large dogs for a free lunch fairly often. Someone's pit got messed up a few towns over last year. I may have to go buy and learn how to use a gun (I'm very good with bb guns, me and the brothers used to shoot pine cones out of trees for fun,but that's different animal so I'm going to have to put some thought into the matter). I may also want to hasten my fencing project and invest in a pair of guard dogs or ldg. Anne Peterson, the Rosasharn Farm owner, breeds them. I got to meet them and I got a good impression of her stock-they were very large stoic attention sucking marshmallow dogs, but there are other options, I'm sure. I'm a little leary of them though because her fencing was 6 ft tall and had hotwire-not for the little goats or sheep or her horse or pigs, but to keep the dogs in. So they may not be such a good option if I don't want to build a fort knox.

That needs to wait for now though. I need to milk goats and get the oldest kid ready for school, and off to school, then me off to the urgent care to make sure this isn't something serious. Gotta keep moving before this cold or whatever it is decides I have to stop.

Thanks guys!

Hope you feel better!

Miss Rachel,

Maybe this is something you should consider:

rachels.haven said:

And I guess I could ask on FB livestock forms about someone hauling panels for me-a little later though.

Click to expand...

Do you have roof racks for your car? I got 2 12' 2x4s and notched them so they could be fastened down tight to the racks. 16' cattle panels overhang an acceptable 2' on each end. I wouldn't necessarily want to carry a lot of them at once or on the interstate but it works well for the 6 mile trip home from TSC. Good way to get home a 12' gate or 2 as well.

I love coyote hunting videos. Thank you @Senile_Texas_Aggie . Apparently I'm allowed to do that on my own property-trapping and poisoning too.

@Bruce you drive a prius, right? That's impressive. I will have to remember that that is possible. We're trying to get a good mini van to tote my goats and kids in (and hay, you can fit 12 bales in a mini van, according to my mother). They often come with racks. and i can drive slow down the wooded country roads.

Just got back from the dr's. I've got a raging, obvious case of strep throat (phew, I was worried about lyme). I got the feeling I should get my youngest son seen at the same time and turns out despite acting fairly normally and insisting he's not sick he had a fever of 101.something and strep throat. The older kid had puffy lymph nodes this morning, so I'm going to assume we'll be going back to the Dr.'s tomorrow if not tonight to get him an Rx of amoxicillin too. DH is also coming down with throat pain, so he can go and drive the older kid. Younger kid and I might hitch a ride (or drive if necessary) and hang out. We haven't had a good, pass it all around illness for a while I guess and we're due for it, lol. Party time...in our own beds, on tylenol and ibuprofen and antibiotics.

Then I will get back to my fencing plans and how to deal with Mr. Big and Tall Coyote.

Sarcastic part of me wants to point out that the younger kid will not be driving, despite my lack of clarity, no matter how necessary it may seem. He's 4 and can't see out the windshield and push the pedals at the same time. He's tried.