We raised domestic hogs for a number of years. At our farrowing house we had an outside piglet feeder that as the weaning pigs reached about 10 pounds up to about 40 they could go outside any time of day or night and eat.
Woke up to a pig squealing and the sows all up in arms and making racket. This was in the middle of the night. Checked on them and the sows had settled down by the time I got out there. Few nights went by and same thing happened. Can't remember for sure but I think these pigs were 20-30 pounds and were still suckling and running with the sows in a common area (old school weaning pig raising, not like the new confinement stuff).
Happened again and did a head count and we were loosing pigs. Moved the small piglet feeder from just outside to one of the stalls within the barn where the sows slept and no more problems.
The feeder, even though just outside the shed, was located such that a coyote could sneak up, snatch a pig, take off running with it and before the sows could come to its rescue after waking up to the squealing and getting outside the building, the coyote with pig in mouth was gone. Once we had actually heard the squeal rapidly moving across the open pasture. Was an eighth mile to any timber cover.
Coyotes are pretty clever and resourceful animals.
I leave them be here unless they cause some problem. But then I do not have calves or other livestock any more. Likely would feel different if I had chickens or sheep.
