So, yes, coyotes are a danger to your goats—there’s no sugarcoating that. But equally, we’ve been defending our herds of goats from predators for literally ten thousand years at least, and we’ve learned a few tricks along the way.
Read on to find out more.
Do coyotes kill goats?
Yes, is the short answer.
Goats are precisely the sort of animal that coyotes would prey on in the wild, and they are generally not afraid to raid your homestead in search of your goats, either.
In the United States, coyotes are actually one of the most common goat predators.
So, yes, coyotes will kill goats.
Herd animals tend to be the most common prey of animals like coyotes and wolves.
Unlike big cats, wild canines like coyotes and wolves tend to hunt prey by wearing it down over a long chase, and then going in for the kill.
With enclosed goats, it would be a different story.
The goat, having nowhere to escape to, would probably just be killed immediately if coyotes got in to their pasture.
In any case, coyotes are a significant threat to your goats that you should take seriously.
Can the goats defend themselves against the coyotes, then?
Can goats defend against coyotes?
Generally, no.
Goats have no real way of defending themselves against coyotes, and will generally run away whenever possible.
That said, they are obviously not completely unequipped to defend themselves.
Males have horns, and they have significant body weight they can throw against an attacker.
However, it’s generally not going to be good enough to defend against a coyote.
Unlike wolves, coyotes do generally hunt alone or in pairs, and so in that way, a large, aggressive enough goat might stand a chance of driving a coyote off.
But you really should not rely on this happening.
The most likely outcome of a coyote or two getting into your pasture is going to be the goats winding up dead.
If you don’t take steps to protect them, then they are in considerable danger from coyote attack.
Let’s look at how you can defend against coyotes.
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How to protect my goats from coyotes
There are a variety of ways you can defend against coyotes, and many of them will stop these troublesome predators from ever coming near your property in the first place.
Firstly, it helps to keep everything clean so they aren’t attracted by smells.
Whether that’s garbage or goat droppings, be sure to keep a clean homestead.
Beyond that, motion sensor bright LED lights can deter animals from coming on to your property at night.
Fences should be strong, high, and well maintained, but a determined coyote will get over even the tallest fence.
Electrified fences are a good way to deter them from trying. Barbed wire is needlessly inhumane—avoid it.
Perhaps the best thing you can do, though, is to have a pair of guard dogs on your property.
Coyotes will not come near a homestead with guard dogs, so this is your best bet for keeping them away and defending them in the case that bolder coyotes did show up.
A combination of all of these methods is the only way to ensure your goats are completely safe from coyote attack.
Again, you really must take this threat seriously, as coyotes are opportunists who will attack your goats given the chance.
What about goats in the wild?
Will coyotes kill wild goats?
Native, wild goat populations in the U.S. are fairly sparse, so studies into this question have been difficult to conduct.
That said, there’s no reason to suppose they wouldn’t. they are precisely the kind of animal they would ordinarily prey upon.
So, yes, coyotes most likely would and do attack wild goat populations.
That said, if there are domestic goats in their vicinity, they’re much more likely to go for the easier targets.
As I said, coyotes are opportunists and will kill your goats at the first chance they get.
They will especially target kids and young goats, so be on high alert if you have kids on the homestead.
Coyotes are a significant threat to your goats, then, so long as your goats are not properly protected.
But protecting them is fairly simple once you know what to do, and if you’re willing to spend a bit of money upgrading your goat’s enclosure for security.
Coyotes have been plaguing goat herders for a very long time, and while they are a real threat that you should take seriously, protecting your goats is a simple game of knowing what to do.