| It is spring and farm babies are all around us. Those | | | | one-inch chicken wire and only my rooster survived. |
| cute little balls of fur or feathers, as well as the | | | | The turkey was lucky-once again, that coop withstood |
| four-legged little ones are all easy prey for predators. | | | | the predator. |
| This came to light for us last week when we got up | | | | This was devastating to me. I believe you get out of |
| and a coyote was chasing some of our flock. They all | | | | an animal what you put into an animal. Some would |
| ran into the pasture with the big horses. The coyote | | | | say my pets and livestock have it easy. I say my pets |
| confused ran into the woods and decided he would try | | | | give me great enjoyment and my livestock feeds the |
| to sneak up again. This time he was met by humans | | | | family well. |
| and has not been back since. | | | | We are no longer at that large farm and have |
| We have not been so lucky in the past as we were | | | | downsized to a 10-acre farm. When we first moved |
| last week. Several years ago, I was short on time and | | | | here, I told my husband I wanted the barn to be like Ft. |
| decided to drive down to feed the animals. I loaded up | | | | Knox. That did not happen, but we did shut the calves |
| the three dogs in the van and off we went. Never in a | | | | in at night. |
| million years would I have thought that was the safest | | | | Predators will always be a threat but I will do my best |
| decision I could have made. | | | | to protect my animals. For those five coyotes, only |
| As the dogs and I approached the barn, there were | | | | three managed to survive the weekend. The game |
| five coyotes. I laid on the horn and my dogs went | | | | warden talked with us for quite some time and gave |
| berserk. Thank goodness for cell phones. My son | | | | us lots of tips as well as the go ahead to eliminate the |
| could hardly hear me for the dogs barking. After | | | | coyotes. |
| scaring off the coyotes, I turned around and went | | | | The bobcat was seen on several occasions. Once, |
| back to the house where my son and I kenneled the | | | | playing with the bait container the guys left in the tank |
| dogs for their safety. Then we went back to the barn | | | | overnight. My son went to get it the next morning and |
| to access the damage. The coyotes won that | | | | there was that bobcat batting that container around |
| night-two calves, all my ornamental pheasants, and | | | | with its paws having a good old time. My son chased it |
| some of my regular pheasants. They could not get in | | | | away with the truck then went fishing. |
| the turkey coop or the chicken coop. The next night | | | | For me, I will leave the coyotes and other predators |
| either a bobcat or a raccoon literally tore through the | | | | alone, as long as they leave me and my animals alone. |