Coyotes are increasing in numbers across all of the U.S. (excluding Hawaii) and are posing more of a threat to livestock, poultry, and pets. Protecting your farm animals and poultry may not be easy, but with a little know-how, outsmarting these savvy predators is possible.
What is a Coyote?
Coyotes are members of the canine family, resembling a German shepherd but with a narrower muzzle. Mature adults weigh between 25 and 40 pounds, and their color varies from tan to buff to dark gray, often tinged with red or frosty-colored tips. A couple of distinctive characteristics that differ from most dogs are the black tip of the tail and yellow eyes. Compared to other wild “dog” species, a coyote should be smaller than a wolf and larger than a fox.
To understand coyotes, you need to understand their relationship to their habitat. They will eat anything that is available, including garbage, cat food, dog food, trash, animal feed, compost, fruits, vegetables, and, of course, meat (i.e., rodents, deer, livestock, poultry, etc.). Highly adaptable, elusive, and wily, coyotes will even change their habits to match those of their prey.
Even though they are primarily nocturnal (meaning they are most active at night), eastern coyotes are actually diurnal (daytime) hunters, preferring to do most of their hunting in the morning, or at dawn or dusk. Western coyotes will hunt anytime, day or night.
Fearless Hunting Style
Coyotes are fearless and savvy hunters, rarely caught in the act with the human eye. So if you suspect your livestock, poultry, or barn cats have been attacked by one, the only chance of knowing a coyote is the culprit is when filmed with a game camera.
Excellent at digging, climbing, gnawing through fencing, and jumping, they will do anything to get a free meal. They will take on small and medium-sized dogs (more on that later) and hunt in packs to catch larger prey.
But the one thing they don’t want to deal with is humans (keep reading for some safety tips to protect yourself against a coyote attack.). This includes confronting a human or entering a building occupied or frequently visited by people.
Coyotes are most likely to hunt at dawn, dusk, morning and nighttime, but they can hunt at any time. So extra vigilance is needed to ensure the safety of livestock, pets, and poultry at all times if coyotes frequent your area.
Will Coyotes Attack People?
Rarely. Coyotes are shy, and despite their frequent forays into suburbia, they’re still very wild. They generally avoid people and prefer to stay out of sight. However, the fragmentation of their natural habitat has forced them to use green spaces near civilization, such as parks and golf courses.
If a human should stray too close to a den of pups, a mother could become aggressive and attack to protect her litter. This is an instinct in all animals and not a random attack.
Left to themselves, coyotes rarely attack humans, so if one should try to attack outside of pup-rearing season (April through June), this could be a sign that the coyote is sick or injured. If attacked by a coyote, notify your local game warden immediately.
Concerned about your family’s safety? Following these tips should help keep coyotes away from you and your family.
Safety Tips for Humans
Carry Pepper Spray: You probably will never need to use it, but if coyotes are frequently spotted in your neighborhood, having some just in case never hurts.
Safety in Numbers: Coyotes can hunt solo, in a pair, or in a pack (the name given to a family of coyotes). If you have been seeing coyotes in your yard or hanging around the pasture or outbuildings, if possible, before heading out for chores, recruit someone else to come along with you.
Indoor Play: When coyotes are frequently spotted around the neighborhood or farm, it’s best to keep small children indoors. Only allow children out to play if a responsible adult is outside closeby keeping an eye out for Wiley Coyote.
Don’t Forget the Lights: Before heading out for winter evening chores or to take the dog out before bed, turn on the outdoor lights and carry a flashlight with you. Coyotes don’t like lights, so they are less likely to want to bother you. And you have the upper hand advantage of being able to see surroundings better, should a coyote be lurking in the shadows.
What Should You Do If a Coyote Is Spotted on Your Property?
If you see a coyote on your property, the animal has probably been hanging around for a while. Most people hear their howling and yapping at night rather than see them during the day. They are excellent at hiding in wooded patches or shrubs, and they probably know your routines better than you know theirs.
If confronted by a coyote, try these methods to scare them away.
make loud noises
clap and wave your hands
act large (hold out your arms and wave them about. Don’t forget to shout, too!)
Most reports of coyotes on residential property are the result of feeding birds or squirrels, outdoor pets, or directly feeding coyotes. Avoid feeding cats and dogs outside, and lock up livestock and poultry feed in metal trash cans to prevent coyotes from accessing the feed. Make sure garbage can lids are securely fastened, as coyotes like to raid garbage.
Never feed the coyotes, as it is an invite for trouble and illegal in some areas.
Respect Your Neighbors
As more coyotes take up residence in our neighborhoods, it’s crucial to learn how to protect ourselves, our families, pets, livestock, and poultry flocks from an attack. But it is equally important to respect all neighborhood wildlife, including coyotes.
Never poison or kill coyotes illegally. If coyotes become too much of a nuisance, pose a serious threat to humans, pets, livestock, or poultry, or if a coyote acts sick or injured, contact your local sheriff or game commission immediately.
In some situations, hunting and trapping coyotes is legal. Be sure to check with state laws and acquire the necessary licenses to hunt or trap coyotes legally. While hunting and trapping have a place in the natural cycle of life, it is never okay to kill wildlife illegally.
Will Coyotes Attack My Pets?
There are a growing number of reported cases of coyotes attacking small dogs and cats. However, if hungry enough or protecting their den (dens might be in a variety of protected places, such as brushy slopes, rocky ledges, or even a hollow log), coyotes will attack anything smaller than a German Shepherd.
Older dogs, small breeds, and puppies are at the highest risk of being attacked by coyotes, so be sure to keep these dogs on a leash and close to you, especially at dawn, dusk, and night when coyotes are most active.
Dog Safety Tips
Never leave your dog outside unattended. If farm dogs live outdoors, confine them to a garage, shed, or feedroom where a coyote will be unable to access them. Don’t allow farm dogs to roam throughout your entire property unattended. With training and confining your dog(s) at night and when no one is home, you can reduce the chances of them coming into contact with a coyote.
Can Coyotes Breed With Your Dog?
Technically, yes, but it’s not likely. Coyotes are biologically equipped to breed with most types of dogs and wolves. However, the Urban Coyote Research group explains the timing doesn’t necessarily sync up for these reasons:
Coyotes are highly seasonal breeders; dogs are not.
Coydog (the name for coyote-dog crosses) females have a shifted estrus cycle that does not coincide with the coyote period.
Coydogs might have lower fertility than either domestic dogs or coyotes.
Spaying or neutering your dog will prevent them from interbreeding with coyotes.
Also bear in mind that coyotes carry diseases such as distemper, mange, and rabies, so you don’t want your dogs intermingling with them even if pups are not in the future.
Will Coyotes Attack My Pet Cats?
Cats are at high risk for a coyote attack. While they may not be a staple food item in a coyote’s diet, if given the opportunity, they will not hesitate to kill a cat.
If coyotes live in the area, it’s only a matter of time until barn, feral, and indoor/outdoor cats become victims of an attack.
Cat Safety Tips
Keep your feline companions safe by keeping indoor/outdoor cats indoors. If barn cats are tame, feed them inside a garage, shed, feed room, or another enclosure each night before dark, and make sure to securely close the door to keep them safely indoors.
Once a routine is set, many cats will quickly figure out where they are fed and come running for the food. Some dedicated cat owners have even built wired, predator-proofed cat walkways so barn cats can move safely from building to building without the need to worry about a coyote attack.
Will Coyotes Attack Larger Animals?
Most coyotes will go for smaller prey if possible. Deer fawns are more likely to be prey than adults, so it only makes sense that calves, lambs, and kids (baby goats) are more likely to be attacked than adult livestock.
In some cases, coyotes have been known to hunt in packs and work together to bring down elk. So, it’s not impossible or uncommon for coyotes to attack sheep and goats, especially when hunting in a pack. However, the chances of coyotes attacking a fully grown, healthy cow are slim.
Protect livestock by confining them to a secure shed or barn every night. Don’t allow goats and sheep out into the pasture first thing in the morning to prevent early morning attacks on the herd.
If coyotes are a real threat, consider introducing guard donkeys to your herd to help prevent an attack, as donkeys are great deterrents.
Do Coyotes Prey on Poultry?
Coyotes often prey on chickens, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, swans and other poultry. Protect poultry from attacks by avoiding free-ranging unless directly supervised by an adult.
Attach predator skirts to the perimeter of the coop and run to prevent coyotes from digging into the enclosures. Erect tall fences made of sturdy 16-gauge, half-inch hardware cloth and cover the top of the run with the same hardware cloth.
Lock all poultry into a secure coop before dusk and do not allow them out again the next morning until an hour after sunrise.
Coyotes may not be a farmer’s best friend, but they don’t have to be your worst enemy. These wild dogs are a necessary part of the ecosystem, keeping rodent populations under control. Knowing what damage a coyote is capable of inflicting on pets, poultry, and livestock and what precautions are necessary to take to prevent an attack must always be the first course of action. With this knowledge, it is possible to protect our homes and barnyards while living alongside the coyote.
This article was written for Hobby Farms and Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
