I like following you, yet ascribing moral agency to a wild animal is just not true. Coyotes are dogs. They are opportunists by design and have no power of choice. I cannot continue to read about vengeance against them. I know how painful it is to lose chickens to predators,
I too have had to bury some dear feathered friends because the enclosure wasn't fortified enough. It is always OUR human responsibility to keep them as safe as we would a toddler enjoying the lawn. Again, I feel your agony, and at the same time, I cannot condone revenge against wildlife for being...wild.
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I do feel much the same. I rarely have had to remove predators. This is one of those times. I have always tried to coexist with my surroundings and this is one of the few times in my life where I have had to "deal" with a major predator. The raccoons, this coyote, and a couple of hawks as a kid are all I have taken in defense of my chickens. My primary reasoning with this one is that this is a repeat offender. She is the one who knows of the chicken pen and also dug under the fence in a similar location to the prior time. These things all mean that I couldn't allow this AGAIN.
One of the parts of farming is that each farmer has their own method, approach, morals, and beliefs regarding their chosen work. This extends to hunting, living, dying, all parts of life in general. I respect your opinion as I hope you can respect mine as this was not an easy act to perform.
We humans are a part of the food chain, not just above it. If something is threatening our food source... It's sheer folly not to address it. Unfortunately, a coyote would never understand that "no means no", unlike our toddler and preschooler who are still learning this, but sometimes our preschooler says "no means no!" so he is learning it over time. So I don't think it's a fair comparison, toddler to coyote. Toddler enjoying the lawn isn't destroying the entire lawn, the way this coyote nearly destroyed our entire flock of chickens.
Anyway... Yes, it sucks, but this wasn't so much out of retribution (though slightly was) as out of further prevention. The fact that it was caught a mere 3 days after the original slaughter, means that the trap saved our remaining flock. Thankfully. Our 4.5yo son was DEVASTATED at the loss of most of our chickens, he came running to me. He was with @flemingfarm when he discovered the massacre.
We don't raise a flock so a coyote can come murder them, not even killing for food, this was just for killing. A few would have been for food. 20+ was just for fun, and now what happens when this same coyote sees our 1.5yo in the yard, after it kills all our birds? The toddler is the next target for the coyote's murderous acts, as he's the next smallest thing in the farm, after all the birds would be gone.
Circle of life and all that, we can't just allow this coyote to decimate our farm, because a killer like that, won't stop... Unless it is dispatched, as now has happened. Sad, but, it is what it is...I would rather it be trapped and dispatched, than allow it to work it's way up the food chain on our farm and get our toddler.
I understand empathizing with the animals, but... The animals have no compassion, and in a case like this, I would much rather protect our remaining flock than risk them going through the same horrific death as the rest of the flock. And I definitely would not hesitate to protect our children.
Hi I really appreciate the conversation, it is a tough one. My reference to toddlers was not to liken them to the coyote, but to liken them to the chickens. We are responsible for them because they are precious and defenseless.
My point about the coyote is that it cannot be anthropomorphized, as you say. It is not capable of doing anything but reaping easy pickings. So we must not leave easy pickings. @flemingfarm did indeed state such vengeance thoughts as he would like to see the animal's head on a pike, which I understand, but which is a reactionary emotion of vengeance.
It was really hard to speak out. I do love following @flemingfarm and upvote them. Reading three posts in succession about the topic caused me to loose my commentary.
Respect and all my best!
My only issue is with the spirit of vengeance, not the taking care of business. It is indeed a hard row to ho and may we all find the spirit of compassion and coexistence within our strength. Blessings to you and yours.