Coyotes and Mini's -

[andioflongmeadowfarm]

Hello! This has been the toughest week for me ~ I have lost two of my older huge horses. One at New Bolton in PA, (euthanized) and the other I found dead by our hay bale this morning. To say I am devastated ... I think my boy, PT died of a broken heart.

The reason I am asking about coyotes, is now my three that are left, (all minis) I don't think I should leave them in an open pasture at night. (Big horses drove them off).

I can bring them into our barn at night, (not something they are used to) should I be worried about them in pastures during the day? Do I get a donkey?

MY heart is broken to pieces, but I want to be the best now for my minis. Thank you.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Welcome to the forum.

I am so sorry for your loss. I cant be much help with the coyotes ( as we dont have them here)

So sorry once again ( Hugs form Australia).

 

[Marsha Cassada]

So sorry to hear about losing your big horses. That is a heartbreak.
I live in coyote country. My two miniatures are out 24/7. You don't need to worry about coyotes attacking the miniature horses, especially if there are 3. Hope you can relax a little. Keep in touch.

 

[diamond c]

My grandfather raised minis for years and I don't remember a single coyote attack and there are lots around here too

 

[chandab]

We have coyotes. I do put my minis in a drylot at night with the 16' cattle mesh panels for fencing. I've had them for 15 years, and not had an issue with the coyotes. [I do have a friend that lived 80 miles from here (she moved a few years ago), that lost a mini jenny to she believes coyotes, but I think based on another incident that it may have been domestic dogs gone feral or just running around.]

 

[Marsha Cassada]

A pack of dogs is the most dangerous.

 

[Willow Flats]

So sorry for your loss! ❤ We have coyotes in our area and have had no issues but packs of dogs have killed minis. I keep my minis in a paddock with horse fencing at night after a dog attacked my shetland.

 

[Llamamama]

I'm so sorry to hear about your horses. We live in coyote country as well. I am anticipating getting a mini(s) this summer but am really worried about predation. We have lost numerous outdoor cats. Last spring we lost a young llama and the large matriarch of the herd presumably to a single male coyote. It came back and had another llama cornered in the barn the following day but I was able to run it off. My husband found the coyote sitting in the pasture the next morning and shot it. We've had no more incidents but I'm very concerned about adding minis.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

That is quite shocking that a coyote could take down a llama.

 

[ScottyP]

Gosh, could a mule or llama be put in with the minis to help guard them? I've heard that those animals make good guard animals.
So sorry for the loss of your large horses.

 

[AngC]

The reason I am asking about coyotes, is now my three that are left, (all minis) I don't think I should leave them in an open pasture at night.

I can bring them into our barn at night, (not something they are used to) should I be worried about them in pastures during the day? Do I get a donkey?

Sorry about your loss.

We have coyotes in my area (PNW) and we have 3 minis (30-32-inch size.) During daytime, I’ve watched a lone coyote walk through our pasture within a foot or so of our mare; she didn’t twitch an ear and kept grazing. I’ve had a coyote (again during daylight hours) run through my blind mini stallion’s pasture with a neighbor’s chicken hanging out of its mouth; blind stallion got a smidge excited and tried to chase the coyote. Before I could fully observe that encounter, my husband discharged a firearm in the air as a deterrent, and the coyote left.

Single daylight encounters with coyotes don’t seem to be a problem here; it may be different in your area. I keep a window cracked at night so I can hear the yowls when the coyote packs/families are out running. I don’t worry about our mini’s during daylight hours, but I do kind of twitch when the coyotes are howling at night. So far, they’ve only taken free-range chickens.

 

[goatkisses]

I do worry about things going after my minis, but as others have said, loose dogs are more of a problem down here. If there is enough natural prey and not an over population of coyotes then there can be issues. One of my friends lost a mini donkey to a pack of coyotes.

She lives in a more suburban area and I'm in a very wooded, rural area.

One thing about donkeys....if you do decide to get one or two please make sure you know for certain that they have the temperament and experience as livestock guardians. Standard size donkeys can be so wonderful for that, but some donkeys will go after things smaller than they are - including your minis.

 

[minihorse]

I never knew coyotes could take down a grown llama. Or donkey. Thought it would take 2 or three coyotes working together to get a grown full sized animal. @Llamamama sorry to hear about your llamas being killed by the coyote.

 

[Llamamama]

I never knew coyotes could take down a grown llama. Or donkey. Thought it would take 2 or three coyotes working together to get a grown full sized animal. @Llamamama sorry to hear about your llamas being killed by the coyote.

Thank you. It was a very surreal thing. We've never lost llamas before. I could understand the baby as it was small but I think the older female was trying to protect the herd and lured into the woods
Perhaps she got caught up in the undergrowth and couldn't get free. Coyote, dog, whatever went for her underbelly. It was pretty awful. That's why I'm so conflicted about adding minis.

 

[Zergling]

We have an abundant coyotes population here in our area. So far they have not proven to be a problem with my minis. I have a small donkey, a pet not a guardian, but the noise he makes would probably scare the devil himself away.

The coyotes here have taken lambs and sheep but not messed with horses with the exception I hear they scared a full size horse through a fence where it was hit by a vehicle.

I let my minis out 24/7 during the warm months with free access to the barn for shelter. During the winter months I bring them in at night. If you are concerned about coyotes, the safest thing you could do is bring them in at night. Coyote attacks by day are rare.

 

[7fluffyfriends]

Welcome! I am sorry for your loss and that of llamamama. It just isn't easy to lose our animal companions, no matter what age you or your animals are at.

We live in the country on about 600 acres. We have coyotes and timber wolves along with the random bear. Our 7 minis are not locked in at night but do have free access to the barn. They come and go at will (heated water tank is in the barn along with stalls which are left open). Unless it is raining, the minis are typically outside, no matter how cold I think it is!

We have lived here 20 years and the minis have never been bothered or attacked by the wildlife.