free ranging and raccoons

[johnskoi]

i've got about 20 young peas that i hatched in march and april ... i've been keeping them in with my silkies for the past few months .. the doors are always open during the day, but i round everybody up at dusk ... the peas are at the point where they won't go in till it's nearly dark (not a fun task, but if anybody could see me in action, i'm sure they'd get a chuckle or 2)

i border a state park .. their only real predators around here would be raccoons .. i've got 2 nursing mothers (raccoons) who eat side by side with the silkies during daylight without a problem ... some of the peas are getting a little too curious with the coons ...if it was dark i know it wouldn't be pretty ...

i'd like to attempt to free range these guys, but i if i do it, i want to do it right..... anybody have any experience with building raccoon-proof perching areas?

 

[C-Bee-A-Pea]

i've got about 20 young peas that i hatched in march and april ... i've been keeping them in with my silkies for the past few months .. the doors are always open during the day, but i round everybody up at dusk ... the peas are at the point where they won't go in till it's nearly dark (not a fun task, but if anybody could see me in action, i'm sure they'd get a chuckle or 2)

i border a state park .. their only real predators around here would be raccoons .. i've got 2 nursing mothers (raccoons) who eat side by side with the silkies during daylight without a problem ... some of the peas are getting a little too curious with the coons ...if it was dark i know it wouldn't be pretty ...

i'd like to attempt to free range these guys, but i if i do it, i want to do it right..... anybody have any experience with building raccoon-proof perching areas?

You have raccoons that are eating with your chickens in your pen and they have not killed your birds

? How long have they been doing this?

 

[johnskoi]

You have raccoons that are eating with your chickens in your pen and they have not killed your birds

? How long have they been doing this?

the coons don't go in the pen .. they all eat the catfood that's put out for my friendly feral cat colony

 

[Joe.G]

Raccoons around here are mean killers and they are big and strong, I have been on a Raccoon hunt the last month or so because of the damage they have caused around here. Raccoons killed my Adult Tom, so if they can sneak up on Peafowl they will kill it no matter how well fed you think they are.