Coyote sightings worry rural residents

Tara Emery's rural Chandler area neighborhood is under attack by a pack of coyotes that devoured seven of her chickens last weekend and some of her neighbors' poultry. All that's left of a flock of White Leghorn laying hens that provided her family with eggs is an injured rooster, one hen and a yard littered with feathers and broken eggs. A five-foot chain link fence didn't protect them, and Emery said she is very worried about her small herd of Nigerian dwarf goats that are due to kid in the next few weeks. Their tiny babies are smaller than the chickens and prey for coyotes. "I don't know what to do, and I'm afraid of what's coming next," said Emery. She is the second generation to live on the rural family plot in an unincorporated county island north east of Gilbert and Ocotillo Roads and said she has never seen so many coyote attacks. Nearby rural Gilbert residents said they, too are seeing -- and fearing -- coyotes. Sherri Isaac, who lives near Val Vista Drive and Queen Creek Road, said she recently saw a pack of four around the new Perry High School and neighbors have lost sheep...read more