# Goat killed by coyotes



## mizzymoo (Oct 5, 2014)

We are devastated! Our little Mizzy Moo was killed Saturday night by coyotes. We only had 2 goats so now our Betty is alone and traumatized. Don't know what to do. Should we get guard donkey? Do miniature ones work or are they just more coyote bait? Worried about bringing in more goats to a dangerous situation. Should we just sell Betty and admit defeat? So sad and in shock. Had the Nigerian does for a year and were going to breed them this fall so we could expand our herd. Now our goat dreams have been dashed.







Mizzy was the black and white one. Any advice appreciated.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

So sorry.  

You will likely need to protect the last one until something can be done about the coyotes. For the one left, close her up at night - USUALLY coyotes will only attack under safety of the night. I usually don't like closing animals up at night because I'm terrified of barn fires that they won't be able to escape. 

What is your fencing like? Any way to add electric lines to it? 

Usually coyotes will leave adult goats alone, but perhaps the nigerian size and age was too irrisistible. 

Donkeys and some horses are known to hate dogs/coyotes/fox, so may be an option if you're interested. There are also livestock guardian dogs that if trained and with good instincts, will protect your livestock. 

Start looking now for serious trappers or hunters that may be interested in your property to set traps/hunt this winter when the pelts are valueable. That will help reduce the population in your area. Healthy coyotes get desperate for food usually when they are raising offspring and have a high demand for food. Usually they'll avoid areas that humans frequent - though they seem to be becoming bolder as they are forced into closer habitation with humans.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

That is awful. Are you sure about it being coyotes? 
It is traumatic for the survivors. Two dogs killed my dear ol'Timber last year and it was awhile before the remaining two girls stopped shaking. 
I don't know what to tell you about more goats. There is always the risk of someone getting at them. 

Anyway, I'm so sorry. She was a beautiful girl.


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## mizzymoo (Oct 5, 2014)

Thanks. Pretty sure it was coyote. My husband and son had a stake out in tree house near the kill-site. A lone coyote showed up about 11:30 last night but wouldn't come close enough for a shot. Probably knew they were there. Very smart animals. We've seen coyotes on property in the past. It's an issue here because all the housing development is driving them into closer contact with people and pets.


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## mzgarden (Mar 16, 2012)

I am so sorry, I can't even imagine. Out of curiosity - what part of the country are you in?


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## SouthGAMan (May 5, 2014)

So sorry, never good to lose a friend even if they are a farm animal.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

I'd try and pen her up somewhere else for a week if I could to see if the coyote moves on. I'd also let my dogs be all over the area to at least get their scent laid around more heavily.

I know lgd are supposed to help, and have heard similar to keeping other animals, donkeys, llamas, etc.

We've had luck with motion sensor solar outdoor lights. Not little patio tikis. Big spotlight kinds mounted near shelter and out at fencing facing out. When predators approach it can spook them.

Nothing is foolproof though. I'm sorry for your loss. But, it happens and those risks are part of keeping livestock. Glad you're not giving up and just trying to move forward.

I would suggest getting more goats I'd you can manage. They're social and like companionship anyway. But, safety in numbers can also be a deterrent, plus more goats mean more eyes watching and reacting which can give the herd faster response times to flee.

Sending hugs and said a prayer for you and yours. Hope you get rid of the varmint or run him off soon.


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

If it was coyotes, in our experience, the skin will have been ripped back around the neck and chest area of the victim. And coyotes will be back, they often hunt at night but we've seen them drag off a full-grown hen in broad daylight. Our elderly neighbor claimed that they hunt from just around dusk up till mid-morning if they're hungry.
So sorry about your little one, it's just heartbreaking to lose any livestock but goats are special. The suggestion about keeping your remaining girl penned up elsewhere is good - even if she has to go into the garage or basement for a few days, it could save her life. And the lights idea - it works. We had spotlights fixed facing out from the fence and barn, just three lights, but it discouraged the coyotes, and of course our dog was patrolling the area at night and her bark alerted us if they tried to move in.


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## Clovers_Clan (Jul 17, 2012)

Unfortunately Betty will probably never be comfortable around dogs again. She may be better off with a family with other means of protection. In your area your livestock may never be safe without an LGD. I have no experience with donkeys but have heard many horror stories of donkeys being aggressive to goats and also miniature donkeys that have fallen prey to coyotes themselves.


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## luckyinkentucky (Feb 15, 2013)

I just teared up for you, I'm beyond sorry for your loss. I second the idea of finding some hunters to help with the problem. I don't know where you are located, but I know people around here that hunt coyotes. Bet you could just post an ad locally. I wish you the best from here on....


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## Delvan (Jun 19, 2015)

So sorry about your loss. Its always hard 

If you live in our area (just east of Indianapolis), my wife and I do help people with coyote issues occasionally. We are totally open to trade if you want. Doesn't have to be much, I've been using this to help teach my wife various ways to hunt.

When we moved into our current house, we had the same problem. Our neighbor had pygmy goats and chickens, and the coyotes were always coming around (saw some the first morning we moved in). We have definitely cut down on the number of issues with them, but it will never really go away.


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## mizzymoo (Oct 5, 2014)

We live in Georgia, north of Atlanta. My brother is going to set up snares. Trying to find LGD or donkey but hard to find. Getting a new goat today but not sure it's going to help. Betty not eating and refuses to stay in pasture where her friend killed. She keeps jumping fence and hanging out on our front porch.


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## mizzymoo (Oct 5, 2014)

. Here's a picture of Betty on our porch yesterday.


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## Rosepath (Feb 18, 2011)

If a little thing like her can jump your fence, she's defenseless in there to coyotes, and she knows it. They can jump anything she can.
Do not put her in that pasture, she'll just be incentive to the coyotes to finish the job they started.


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## Delvan (Jun 19, 2015)

^^^ I definitely agree with Rose, if she can get out, they can get in and she will know it.


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## gila_dog (Jun 17, 2011)

Coyotes are like the weather. They are a fact of nature. You can shoot and trap some of them but there will always be others. If you want to have goats (or chickens or sheep, etc) you simply must provide protection for your animals. Good strong, high fences and a safe shelter at night are basic requirements for keeping any kind of animals.
Our goats and chickens have a pen that is coyote proof. They only get out when I am around to keep an eye on them. And we have a good watchdog (blue heeler) who lets me know if anything or anybody comes around. Sometimes she even chases coyotes off. Coyotes are actually a benefit if you have a safe place for your animals. They eat lots of mice and pack rats and other nasty vermin. If you try to wipe out the coyotes in your area you will almost certainly fail. It's best to just shelter your animals from them. Also, if coyotes can get your animals, so can neighborhood dogs, which I think are an even greater threat.


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## mizzymoo (Oct 5, 2014)

I appreciate the concern (and criticism) about our fencing. We have a 54" (4 1/2 ft) 4-board fence with dog wire. Our goat could even get over her 6 ft tall pen in barn until we took it to the ceiling. No "normal" dogs can get in or out of this fencing. From what we could tell, the coyote(s) may have come under one of the gates which we have since remedied. Our goats go up at night. This particular night, we came home from an all-day event past dark and we were too late. I'm not saying we aren't to blame (b/c we are), but please don't imply that we didn't take precautions. We love our animals and are doing the best we know how.


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## gibbsgirl (May 1, 2013)

Mizzymoo, have you considered topping your fencing with wire or paneling that extends out at a 45 degree angle? It might help to deter anything from climbing or being successful at judging the jump to make it over and inside. Don't know if you could do that easily with your setup or if it would help. Just an idea to pass along.

Also, we buried chicken wire half underground and half running up along the base of our fences and attached with wire to stop digging issues. It was a lot if work but was effective. The place we lived at then needed it for us to manage things. I couldn',t easily do it where we are now. So, again don't know it that would work for your setup or if it would help. Just an idea.

Hope your goat us settling down. Sounds like it's been rough on her.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

We couldn't have known what good fence you have, so I hope you didn't feel like anybody was trying to tell you you didn't take any precautions. We can tell you take great care of your animals, but unfortunately predators are a fact of life in raising livestock - so are stray dogs, parasites, accidents, and many illnesses you can't forsee.  And I will also say that I don't blame you at all, nor should you blame yourself. It is always ok to be sad about the loss of an animal, though. :awh:

We just gave ideas for bolstering fences if that was the issue - otherwise, there isn't much other advice we can give. You look to have excellent fence - the only thing you MAY consider is some electric lines on the outside near the ground and near the top. If the gate had a scoot, I would bet that's where they found enough space to get under it. A scoot is a great place for setting a trap, putting a good bait on the other side (dead chicken, butchering offal, roadkill etc). 

While there will always be more coyotes, keeping the population in check will help reduce their desperation for wanting to hunt livestock. Usually they are cautious and will leave livestock alone, but when there isn't enough other food or in times when the population is growing (lots of pups), the hunters get desperate and will take more risks. Chances are you won't eliminate them, but hopefully a reduced population will be more symbiotic.


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I hope that it wasn't criticism that was being offered. My loss occured when I was home and in broad daylight, with the girls in a woven wire fence inside a woven wire perimeter fence. One of the dogs jumped the fence and the other dug underneath. They then dug through the siding of the shed to corner the girls. 
And I never heard a thing. All that happened was that I saw the back end of a dog with a wagging tail where there should not have been a dog. And ran out screaming at the dogs just a minute before the dogs would have killed the remaining two girls, who had lots of bites already. 
One of my neighbors, who I think is pretty good with her animals, just lost one to her own dog, who was a very well trained dog. 
As you can see, a determined predator will overcome a lot. And it makes goat owners pretty reactive. I guess sharing hyper vigilance at this point might seem like criticism but it's mostly because we've been there or know someone who has and all our fears come boiling out in an attempt to help.


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