Raccoon problems

SGTChicken

In the Brooder
Oct 30, 2015
11
0
24
I have lost several birds to raccoons in recent weeks. I am in the process of building an automatic door so I don't have to walk up and down the hill to open and close the coop. I have a barn style roof on the coop. The eaves hang over the outside of the walls about 6 in. There are no trees close by but to be safe I closed each corner of the eave overhang up as there is a 3-5 in opening for ventilation between rafters. I haven't lost any birds since I began making my trips to open and close. Now for my recent issue. I went down a little later than usual, birds were still out but moving that way. I filled up the water, set my trail cam up and after they went in I closed up shop. I got back up to my house and after about 10 minutes the chickens started raising all manner of H***. I rushed back down looked in the window and didn't see anything but them huddled up. I opened the man door and there was a raccoon in the rafters. I'm thinking it was in the coop and hidden in their winter hooch. (a separate enclosure about 6ft long 2ft high and 2ft wide with a heat lamp) or behind the metal trash can used to store the food when I locked up. By the time my daughter got my raccoon eradication tool to me, it had escaped. I'm again guessing through the open eave vents. My question is, if I didn't lock it in accidentally, can a raccoon climb a 6ft sheer straight up T-111 siding wall to get to the eave openings? I could see them climbing a corner, but a straight up wall with nothing to grab?

Thanks
 
YES!!! Raccoons and some other critters will climb up T111 siding, I've seen it myself. You need 1/2" hardware cloth , well attached, over every opening larger than 1/2" in your coop and run, or you will continue to loose birds until all are gone. Mary
 
You don't need hardware cloth higher than where a chicken will sleep in any given spot. They will try to reach and grab through a 1x2, but who cares if thats covering the upper half of a run?

Raccoons can conquer almost any obstacle, and once they've had success in a location they will never give up. The only good raccoon is a dead raccoon.
 
A raccoon might be able to climb flat wall of T111 but likely with great difficulty. Considere overlaying the T111 with sheet metal that is at least 24" wide with top more than 36" above any point raccoon will attempt to jump from.
 
Somewhere on the site when I was doing a search I came across a post where someone said they had put stucco netting under windows to keep critters from climbing up to the window. I like the idea of sheet metal better. A friend gave me a remnant of stucco netting that is big enough to put under the window I wanted more protected but I have my doubts after looking at it. I am not sure that a raccoon would really be deterred from climbing over it. In fact it seemed to me that it would provide more toeholds. Has anybody any experience using stucco netting?
 
Coons are crafty and relentless killers of chickens. And, coons that have successfully killed in a location are not ever going to give up in pursuit of that easy meal. They must be trapped and killed.

Coons are relatively easy to trap. Here is a link to the "dogproof" coon trap. The most effective coon trap out there.

http://www.rpoutdoors.com/dudpcotr.html

Professional trappers who target coons use these traps far more than any other nowadays. Live cage traps are expensive and the least effective of traps. These dogproof traps will not catch a cat or dog. Hence the name.

We've started using a different bait now. We use dry cat food in the cylinder part of the trap. Spread a few around the trap. You may greatly increase the scent attractiveness with tuna or sardines.

Set it and forget it.
 
The sheet metal overlay is a great idea. Thank you. I have some roof flashing I used to close some holes in the floor of their coop. I'll use that up and see if that helps before I fight with sealing up the eave vents. I just released 4 chicks from their "get to know me" cage. They seem to have been accepted by the remaining birds. I'd hate to lose my new girls. Thanks for the input everyone.And yes "shouts" I agree that the only good raccoon is a dead raccoon. I have taken care of 3 of those and one possum. I actually had a red fox with one of my roo's in his mouth. I put the crosshairs of one of my raccoon eradication tools and dropped the hammer. He beat feet. I didn't understand until I went down and saw a dead center hole in one wire of the welded wire fence. One lucky fox.
 
I noticed the cage type traps are quite expensive. I took a look at the traps you recommend,and I'd imagine once the animal is trapped, it will need to be shot (more humane than letting them starve to death, or gnaw their foot off). I will usually shoot as last resort, but I don't see another solution. Hate to shoot "fish in a barrel" but also tired of losing chickens!!

Coons are crafty and relentless killers of chickens.  And, coons that have successfully killed in a location are not ever going to give up in pursuit of that easy meal.  They must be trapped and killed.

Coons are relatively easy to trap.  Here is a link to the "dogproof" coon trap.  The most effective coon trap out there. 

http://www.rpoutdoors.com/dudpcotr.html  

Professional trappers who target coons use these traps far more than any other nowadays.  Live cage traps are expensive and the least effective of traps.   These dogproof traps will not catch a cat or dog.  Hence the name.

We've started using a different bait now.  We use dry cat food in the cylinder part of the trap.  Spread a few around the trap.  You may greatly increase the scent attractiveness with tuna or sardines. 

Set it and forget it.
 

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