Ideas for deterring coyotes??

[pAin_t_Misbehavin]

[QUOTE=emilia;7375917]

Coyotes are closing in on us, too. I dread the day, they will chase the remaining foxes away and I will have to put a special protection for our minis.[/QUOTE]

We have healthy populations of both - coyote and fox. You wouldn’t think so, but they seem to occupy different niches.

Don’t know where you are. In the Southeast the coyote won’t take anything bigger than a fawn, so I’d think your minis would be safe. [Since deer and rabbits are the banes of my garden, I like coyote. Some deer hunters are getting disgruntled, but from what I saw this year there’s still more than enough to go around.] In the Northeast I hear there are coy-wolves but I don’t know anything about them.

[Emilia]

[QUOTE=pAin’t_Misbehavin’;7376104]
We have healthy populations of both - coyote and fox. You wouldn’t think so, but they seem to occupy different niches.
.[/QUOTE]

We are in VA. I wrote about foxes, because that is what I hear from surrounding foxhunting clubs.

They are losing foxes and won’t hunt coyotes, for it is not traditional (or perhaps even feasible).

As for minis- I have heard many horror stories about the pack of coyotes taking down the minis, but have not seen it. I know a person, who lost large goats to coyotes. He got donkeys and has not had a problem since. I might be just overreacting.

[FatCatFarm]

The Foxhunters in my area (GA, South of ATL) now run coyote more than anything else and even though I am not a hunter myself, I’d much rather they check the coyotes some rather than the foxes or bobcats. We’ve far to many coyotes and they will take goats and debilitated ponies and horses. Most cattlemen now keep a few donkeys running with the cows at all times because of it. It’s harder to keep the big dogs confined so they prefer donkeys, but those with smaller acreage more feasible for secure fencing, most often keep GPs, followed by Maremmas and then Anatolians. The Anatolians are less common I think because they have a bit sharper, suspicious nature where the Pyrs and Maremmas seem to be mostly sweet natured towards all humans and most small animals.

Our oldest and largest Great Pyrenees is an AKC registered neutered male with a huge fluffy coat which frankly is a PITA. He was a house dog in his former life until his owner got shipped overseas and was desperate to find him a new situation. We took him in and he has been one our BEST guardians and we’ve had quite a few Pyrs over the years. Same goes with the spayed female we recently took in. She too was a house dog and has also turned out to be a first rate property guardian, often being the one being proactive about a perceived threat while the boys are lounging around on their keisters. :winkgrin:

[cowboymom]

Last night the coyotes were yipping like crazy when I let me dog out for the night-he was busy, he’s sleeping hard by the fire now.

Our dog is family dog and bonded with the goats-he guards our whole place, not just one part of it. That’s how the GP’s I know operate, they have territory, not a flock especially.

The other breeds you mentioned are starting to be used here. The GP breed has been watered down a bit and can’t guard as well against the wolves and bears that are starting to (re)become a problem here in Montana. Even the Caucasian is starting to show up here by over-enthusiastic LGD folks.

http://www.timberwolfinformation.org/mt-guard-dogs-being-tested-on-rocky-mtn-front/

I never worry about coyotes and the horses here; my main coyote concern is for the goats, chickens and cats. Stray dogs can be a problem for everyone though, and the wolves and mountain lions are a concern for the horses.

Fox will kill snakes; I’m usually happy to see them around. They usually don’t cause much problem unless your chickens are totally unprotected.

And I have a group of friends that hunt coyotes on horseback every week, red coats and all! LOL They know it’s not conventional or traditional and they don’t care; they’re just enjoying it and putting some much needed pressure on the local coyotes! http://feest.us/Fox-Hunt-at-the-Mantle-Ranch-Three-Forks-11-24

[BarbaricYawp]

Forget the donkey/llama idea unless all you have is a perimeter fence and the donk/llama can walk right up to your front door. We’re inundated with coyotes here and I’ve lost several kitties over the years. My current housecat was a former barn cat who survived a coyote attack. My solution is to train my current barn cat to go into the basement at night. I understand that may not be feasible with a feral cat. Get one of the guard dogs that people mention. Make sure it knows the property boundaries and then leave it out all the time. We have a donkey and 2 GSDs. The coyotes don’t respect the dogs at all and they route themselves around the paddock where the donkey is. You need something that can travel in the same places that they go (which is pretty much everywhere – I had 2 playing in my fenced vegetable garden last summer and that is less than 20 feet from my bedroom window. My GSD was going bonkers at the window and they barely bothered to look up).