We got the call the night before we were to head back home from northern VA from visiting family and picking Chloe up from the airport. Ben was counting the sheep, getting ready to close them in after dark, but noticed one was missing. He found Gabby, one of my biggest and sweetest ewes, dead from a predator attack out in the pasture. The signs were more consistent with a coyote rather than a dog attack. The only thing that didn't jibe was that coyotes are more apt to go after smaller lambs rather than the large ewes, but I then realized that the lamb's small pasture was pretty coyote proof. Even though the ewes pasture was near the barn, the fencing wasn't good enough to keep out a determined coyote. Without a livestock guardian dog (LGD) to protect them, the sheep were vulnerable to coyotes.
I told Ben to put the lambs in the small paddock right next to the barn, and the ewes and ram into the small area right behind the barn where we had reinforced all the fencing in anticipation of trying out unproven LGDs. Since coming home, I've kept the sheep penned up and am feeding them hay. We are also leaving all the barn and outside spot lights on all night since almost every night we hear coyotes yipping and howling all around the farm.
Tuesday evening I got a call from Carolina Great Pyrenees Rescue; they had a Pyr coming in from a shelter in the mountains with an unknown history but maybe he was a LGD. Would I be willing to test him? In desperation for another LGD I immediately agreed. I drove to Winston Salem on Wed. and picked up Holden, a 120 lb., sweet and responsive Pyr. As is usual when testing an unknown Great Pyrenees with livestock, I introduced him on a leash to the sheep, walked him around the perimeter of the paddocks, and put him in a 6'chain link pen in between the two groups of sheep for the night. He seemed to be calm with the sheep so I was hopeful. The next morning I went up to the barn to find Holden loose in the barnyard. He had completely ripped loose one side of the pen, made a huge hole to escape and then climbed over the paddock fence, bending it down. (To be continued)
I told Ben to put the lambs in the small paddock right next to the barn, and the ewes and ram into the small area right behind the barn where we had reinforced all the fencing in anticipation of trying out unproven LGDs. Since coming home, I've kept the sheep penned up and am feeding them hay. We are also leaving all the barn and outside spot lights on all night since almost every night we hear coyotes yipping and howling all around the farm.
Tuesday evening I got a call from Carolina Great Pyrenees Rescue; they had a Pyr coming in from a shelter in the mountains with an unknown history but maybe he was a LGD. Would I be willing to test him? In desperation for another LGD I immediately agreed. I drove to Winston Salem on Wed. and picked up Holden, a 120 lb., sweet and responsive Pyr. As is usual when testing an unknown Great Pyrenees with livestock, I introduced him on a leash to the sheep, walked him around the perimeter of the paddocks, and put him in a 6'chain link pen in between the two groups of sheep for the night. He seemed to be calm with the sheep so I was hopeful. The next morning I went up to the barn to find Holden loose in the barnyard. He had completely ripped loose one side of the pen, made a huge hole to escape and then climbed over the paddock fence, bending it down. (To be continued)
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