GreenieMama, can you tell how the raccoon got inside your coop? Im so afraid to leave my Chickie out at night....I couldnt sleep worrying about her if I did. On these nice nights, I sure would like to get her used to being out side even at night.
How can I sleep?
- Thread starter GreenieMama
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Hi, I think you need to close in the parts that the racoon is getting thru. Electric wire is fine, put one strand about 4 inches high, and the other about a foot high. I know you have small kids, so just turn it on at night.
This is why my hens are kept in a solid, predator proof coop at night. They are let out into the run first thing in the morning and secured at night. Raccoons, possums, even coyotes and foxes are in my area.
I'm sorry for your loss and I hope you can solve the problem!
I'm sorry for your loss and I hope you can solve the problem!
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- #14
Quote:
It didn't have to get in... it grabbed her and ate her head through the chain link.
Good news is that we only lost the one. Maybe the radio worked. I also really appreciate the idea about only turning on the electric fence at night. That is something I can do. Maybe put it on a timer. We're going to the hardware store today to get a tighter mesh to help the chickens keep their heads on.
It didn't have to get in... it grabbed her and ate her head through the chain link.
Good news is that we only lost the one. Maybe the radio worked. I also really appreciate the idea about only turning on the electric fence at night. That is something I can do. Maybe put it on a timer. We're going to the hardware store today to get a tighter mesh to help the chickens keep their heads on.
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- #15
Quote:
Thank you for this description - I'm going to work hard to keep my girls safe. Of course, after hearing of my night, my husband is starting to question it it is worth it to have them. I think so, of course!
Thank you for this description - I'm going to work hard to keep my girls safe. Of course, after hearing of my night, my husband is starting to question it it is worth it to have them. I think so, of course!
I'm so sorry that you lost your chicken and that you found it that way. You have actually encouraged the raccoon by throwing it a free meal. Don't worry you can fix this problem but it will take a little money, time and effort.
As already stated - now that the raccoon knows your chickens are there and he/she got a free meal ... he'll be back ... often.
First, buy hardware cloth if you can afford it otherwise 1" chicken wire and wrap it around the chainlink at least two feet up and bury it at least 15 inches into the ground. That way the raccoon can't get it's hands in to catch a chicken (if you use hardware cloth) and will have a much more difficult time (if you use chicken wire).
Second, your chickens need to be sleeping inside a secure house (chicken coop) at night. You will need to teach them to sleep inside, on a roost. That means you will need to go out for a few nights (maybe a week) and physically put them on the roost until they learn to go their on their own.
Electric wire is also a good deterrent and using it just at night will help. I will add, being a country girl that grew up with electric fences and having one now with small children; it can give quite a zap to a child but it's not likely to hurt that child at all (unless there are medical issues involved) for a child that's two years old or older. And, once a child gets zapped - they aren't likely to touch that wire again either. I'm not advocating a child getting zapped I'm just telling it like it is for many country kids that have to learn about electric fences at an early age.
As already stated - now that the raccoon knows your chickens are there and he/she got a free meal ... he'll be back ... often.
First, buy hardware cloth if you can afford it otherwise 1" chicken wire and wrap it around the chainlink at least two feet up and bury it at least 15 inches into the ground. That way the raccoon can't get it's hands in to catch a chicken (if you use hardware cloth) and will have a much more difficult time (if you use chicken wire).
Second, your chickens need to be sleeping inside a secure house (chicken coop) at night. You will need to teach them to sleep inside, on a roost. That means you will need to go out for a few nights (maybe a week) and physically put them on the roost until they learn to go their on their own.
Electric wire is also a good deterrent and using it just at night will help. I will add, being a country girl that grew up with electric fences and having one now with small children; it can give quite a zap to a child but it's not likely to hurt that child at all (unless there are medical issues involved) for a child that's two years old or older. And, once a child gets zapped - they aren't likely to touch that wire again either. I'm not advocating a child getting zapped I'm just telling it like it is for many country kids that have to learn about electric fences at an early age.
The racoon will keep coming back, and maybe bring a friend or family member along since it got a "free" meal there....until there is nothing left of your chickens.
I have fastened small wire along the bottom of my 5' tall chain link run and close my chickens up at night...except for a handful that roost in a big tree near the coop.
I have run metal sheeting 3-4' high around the bottoms of several of the trees, including that one, so a racoon cannot climb up them to get to those chickens or get onto the roof of the chicken house.
I have fastened small wire along the bottom of my 5' tall chain link run and close my chickens up at night...except for a handful that roost in a big tree near the coop.
I have run metal sheeting 3-4' high around the bottoms of several of the trees, including that one, so a racoon cannot climb up them to get to those chickens or get onto the roof of the chicken house.
- Thread starter
- #18
UPDATE/NEW PROBLEM:
Just in case you were curious, the raccoon didn't take any more chickens that night. Probably was full from the one he ate. Or leaving the radio on might have helped.
I see the error of throwing the dead chicken into the bushes (though it was done in a panic). The raccoon didn't take any more but the feathers/chicken pieces are spread around 1/2 acre and I'm having trouble picking them all up.
We went that morning and got the tiniest metal hardware cloth and wrapped the chain link with it, from the inside of the run. 3 feet high and it seems pretty sturdy. The raccoon came back that night (last night), a few times, I heard one of the chickens running around but it wasn't able to get her b/c of the new mesh. Ha! It did manage to keep me up all night and make me madder.
A friend came over and let us borrow a trap which we will set up tonight. Hate to do it, but the friend volunteered to pick up the full trap and take it from there, which I really really appreciate.
My new problem is the smell. I gag when I go out there, I think whatever blood was spilled has gone rancid and I don't know what to do about it. I've picked up all the feathers I could see and bleached down all the metal surfaces, posts, etc. But how do I get the smell out of the dirt???
Any suggestions would be SOOO appreciated. Next step: secure inner coup that they can be locked in at night. Final step: electric fencing.
Just in case you were curious, the raccoon didn't take any more chickens that night. Probably was full from the one he ate. Or leaving the radio on might have helped.
I see the error of throwing the dead chicken into the bushes (though it was done in a panic). The raccoon didn't take any more but the feathers/chicken pieces are spread around 1/2 acre and I'm having trouble picking them all up.
We went that morning and got the tiniest metal hardware cloth and wrapped the chain link with it, from the inside of the run. 3 feet high and it seems pretty sturdy. The raccoon came back that night (last night), a few times, I heard one of the chickens running around but it wasn't able to get her b/c of the new mesh. Ha! It did manage to keep me up all night and make me madder.
A friend came over and let us borrow a trap which we will set up tonight. Hate to do it, but the friend volunteered to pick up the full trap and take it from there, which I really really appreciate.
My new problem is the smell. I gag when I go out there, I think whatever blood was spilled has gone rancid and I don't know what to do about it. I've picked up all the feathers I could see and bleached down all the metal surfaces, posts, etc. But how do I get the smell out of the dirt???
Any suggestions would be SOOO appreciated. Next step: secure inner coup that they can be locked in at night. Final step: electric fencing.
Well you did the small mesh thing which I had to do(1/4" square wire 2' tall),but if that coon still comes back and isn't scared of you i'd walk out there and use it as target practice,just don't hit the propane tank.
Edit to add : the last time I had to bury a dead bird I had to put a sheet of corrugated steel over it with a cinder block on top of it,the coons dug up the bird (2 feet under) that wasn't covered. As for the smell try raking in some lime in the dirt,the other stains on metal wire/posts will decrease with time.
Edit to add : the last time I had to bury a dead bird I had to put a sheet of corrugated steel over it with a cinder block on top of it,the coons dug up the bird (2 feet under) that wasn't covered. As for the smell try raking in some lime in the dirt,the other stains on metal wire/posts will decrease with time.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #20
Quote:
Thank you...
Do you know if lime is safe if the chickens were to eat it?
Thank you...
Do you know if lime is safe if the chickens were to eat it?
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