How do I keep raccoons away

[JackE]

I'll second the recommendation for electrified poultry net. I have just about every kind of 4-legged predator here, outside of a bear. I've had this netting/fence up now, close to 4yrs, and no animal walking on the ground has got past it. And it has been tested. I've seen more than a couple of dogs try it. And they don't try it again. I've seen the resident fox, sit and look at the birds, but won't come to within 25' of the fence. They have learned the painful lesson also. The fox were the reason I got the fence to begin with, after a couple of bad daylight attacks. I know there is a healthy population of coons around here. Before I put up the fence, I would find their muddy paw prints on my coop, searching for a way in (Which they never found). I've popped a couple of them trying to rob my garbage cans at night (Those motion activated spotlights come in handy). I started with 300' of the netting. I liked it so much, I have bought 350' more. I use Premier's netting. There are other makes out there, but Premier has proven, to me, to be a good company. You properly install this fence, coons WILL NOT get in.

 

[microchick]

Let me add that they are also a carrier of many diseases, most dangerous of all, rabies.

When we once commented to our vet that we were seeing a lot of dead raccoons on the road, he informed us that studies he has read conclude that the majority of raccoons killed on roads are carrying rabies. I believe it was a University of IL study and the percentage was something like 70%.

I once had an urban raccoon, drooling, staggering and aggressive, tree me on top of a car. I had to call the police from my cell phone and animal control had to come and rescue me.

I respect them in their natural habitat. I do not hunt them. But when they encroach into our farm lot, they cease being cute and have to go.

We are also restoring our timber into a natural habitat for wildlife and are desperately trying to draw turkey into our property. Not to hunt, but because we enjoy watching them. The reality is that raccoons are egg eaters and if we want turkey, the raccoons have to be kept controlled to a minimum number.

I respect all wildlife's right to live. I draw the line where my livestock and pets are concerned, however.

 

[centrarchid]

I have lots of experience with raccoons under a range of circumstances and have kept chickens for a while so have a good handle on what raccoons are capable of. This familiarity and experience makes for a more relaxed approach.

ChickenCanoe, you should have been here long enough to know I am not a novice.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I know that you have a lot of experience. And you're right, with that knowledge, one can easily deal with the issue. I just see so many people that post that they have A raccoon. That's unlikely, especially in urban and suburban environments. Without long term experience, especially those that don't know what prowls their property after dark, they may be unprepared when one of their 2 chickens named fluffy ends up dead

 

[Akrnaf2]

Try to shoot them!

 

[bobrut]

I saw a post from someone on BYC that would take a trapped raccoon and put it behind their car, put a tarp over the cage and run a hose, or pvc pipe from the tale pipe, humane and effective. Personally I agree a .223 or a 762.39 works great!

 

[Curlyginger]

I live in a small surburban neighborhood in the northeast. If I fired a shotgun, I would have a swat team at my house in 5 minutes.

There is no way to get rid of all predators. I live in the suburbs and we still have raccoons, possums, mink, weasels, possums, skunks, hawks, fisher cats, coyotes, and a bear (yes, a very confused bear, but he's been around for a few years now). I don't own a gun and even if I did, I couldn't kill everything that might kill a chicken. If I shot one, there would be another lined up. Same with trapping them.

So, I built the best, most secure run I could. Hardware cloth, top to bottom, secured with screws amd washers, and with a buried apron. Elevated coop. Double, complicated locks on every door. Food brought in every night. All coop windows and ventilation covered with hardware cloth. No gaps, anywhere in the run or coop, that are more than 1/2". They only free range when both I and the dog (not trained as a livestock guard dog, but will deter the smaller critters) are in the yard with them.

It won't keep out the bear, but it should keep most everything else out. I know that at some point, something will likely find a way. Everything likes chicken.

Best of luck to you!

 

[centrarchid]

I know that you have a lot of experience. And you're right, with that knowledge, one can easily deal with the issue. I just see so many people that post that they have A raccoon. That's unlikely, especially in urban and suburban environments. Without long term experience, especially those that don't know what prowls their property after dark, they may be unprepared when one of their 2 chickens named fluffy ends up dead

Good. Then emphasis should shift back to loss prevention. I have killed more raccoons than most but when it comes to protecting stock yet making the raccoon's job more difficult is much more cost effective than revenge.

 

[Watermelon123]

Thank you everyone! I plan on making a sucre coop (suggested by my vet). I can not keep a dog because I have house rabbits. I will try to trap them. If they become a huge problem, I know some one at Animal Control.

 

[ChicKat]

I'll second the recommendation for electrified poultry net. I have just about every kind of 4-legged predator here, outside of a bear. I've had this netting/fence up now, close to 4yrs, and no animal walking on the ground has got past it. And it has been tested. I've seen more than a couple of dogs try it. And they don't try it again. I've seen the resident fox, sit and look at the birds, but won't come to within 25' of the fence. They have learned the painful lesson also. The fox were the reason I got the fence to begin with, after a couple of bad daylight attacks. I know there is a healthy population of coons around here. Before I put up the fence, I would find their muddy paw prints on my coop, searching for a way in (Which they never found). I've popped a couple of them trying to rob my garbage cans at night (Those motion activated spotlights come in handy). I started with 300' of the netting. I liked it so much, I have bought 350' more. I use Premier's netting. There are other makes out there, but Premier has proven, to me, to be a good company. You properly install this fence, coons WILL NOT get in.

What do you use to energize your fence. Do you leave it off when the chickens are inside?