Are Coons Threats to Chickens?

[MultipleAnimals]

Okay so I leave my chicken rabbit and dog food in my bedroom by an open window I didn't think a raccoon would come in the window the chicken coop is by this window this window is in my bedroom so I went and stuck a baby gate in the window so the raccoon would not come back in and try to take the chicken food and rabbit food and dog food we leave the window open due to it gets way too hot in our house because we do not have air conditioning but I'm to the point to where I was asking are raccoons harmful to chickens my chicken coop is right next to our bedroom window and a few days before I got my new roosters my original rooster died it was found in the morning without its head and insides gone what could have killed it could it have been a raccoon?

 

[scooter147]

Yes raccoons will kill and eat your chickens. They will wipe out the entire flock if given half the opportunity.

 

[mstafford75]

I just spotted one in my backyard too. Yes they will harm your chickens. They are not meat eaters but they go after the feed and the reason they can kill the chickens is they go after the grain and feed in their crops.

 

[scooter147]

if you live trap destroy the animal.

Taking it and dumping it somewhere else has just made that animal someone else's problem.

Besides that the animal will attempt to get back to its home range (and probably not make it, roads) and in the meantime it will be attacked by its own species because it is now in their territory.

 

[MultipleAnimals]

Yes. Where I live, there are no raccoons, but my grandparents had lots of problems with them killing their hens. My grandfather kills them after trapping them. They can open and get into things you would never imagine could be possible with their little hands. It definitely could've been a raccoon, and most likely was as you saw one recently in your yard.

In the House, on the property, in our walls, in the roof, THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!!!! Just because you can't see them does not mean they are not there!!! Take it from me! Those Coons are HUGE! It's TEXAS for ya.

 

[Heather4nier]

There is a great product called Night Eyes. It's a small, solar powered set of flashing red lights that mimics the eye-flash of an animal. They start blinking automatically as it starts to get dark. Predators don't like competition and they will move on to avoid confrontation. They're pretty inexpensive. Put a set on all four sides of the coop. That should help.

 

[aart]

There is a great product called Night Eyes. It's a small, solar powered set of flashing red lights that mimics the eye-flash of an animal. They start blinking automatically as it starts to get dark. Predators don't like competition and they will move on to avoid confrontation. They're pretty inexpensive. Put a set on all four sides of the coop. That should help.

Don't waste your money on these.........I've seen numerous game cam videos showing predators right next to 'night eyes'.
You're much better off spending that money on hardware cloth to keep your coop secure.....
.....and your bedroom window.

 

[MultipleAnimals]

I just spotted one in my backyard too. Yes they will harm your chickens. They are not meat eaters but they go after the feed and the reason they can kill the chickens is they go after the grain and feed in their crops. 

Okay. Thanks

 

[keesmom]

I just spotted one in my backyard too. Yes they will harm your chickens. They are not meat eaters but they go after the feed and the reason they can kill the chickens is they go after the grain and feed in their crops.

Raccoons are omnivores. They will eat things that live in water such as fish, frogs and snails. They will also eat birds, eggs, insects, slugs, seeds, fruits and nuts and will go after several garden plants such as corn. They will also kill and eat squirrels, mice and rats if they can.

And they love chicken dinners. Chickens are easy pickings at night. They often won't stop at just one.

my original rooster died it was found in the morning without its head and insides gone what could have killed it could it have been a raccoon?

It's possible. Raccoons are determined and have dexterous hands that can reach in through wire, or even open some latches.

 

[PolishFrizzle]

Raccoons are indeed meat eaters, and will kill and eat your chickens, their eggs, and their grain and seed. Live trap the Raccoons and release them miles away.