INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[Jntnrmn]

@MikeTodd
I can't answer your question either but I CAN tell you this...I have been SHOCKED at the things these coons are doing. Watching the video shows me how very smart and persistent they are. I always knew they were an intelligent animal but in these videos we are seeing them actually walk around and seem to be THINKING on how and what to do. They have been trying to get our vents off and one of them is actually trying to scratch/dig thru the wall. The walls are 7/16 flake board, doesn't seem to me they should even attempt it but we have seen him do it. It's just crazy!

 

[Leahs Mom]

@slutter
We baited with bread soaked in vanilla. I know most folks use strong smelling meat and whatnot but I was too worried something like a cat might stick an arm in the trap.
We use animal crackers in the live traps.

@Jntnrmn

What kind of animal crackers?

 

[slutter]

@slutter
We baited with bread soaked in vanilla. I know most folks use strong smelling meat and whatnot but I was too worried something like a cat might stick an arm in the trap.
We use animal crackers in the live traps. So far we ONLY get racoons with the animal crackers. When we reviewed the cameras from last night we noticed at least 4 coons kept contemplating going to the other trap but just didn't trust the situation so tonight we gonna spread them out further away from one another.
I don't like the situation but I had to admit trap and release has not helped our situation in ANY way. We have a real problem here and I'm so worried about the chickens. The neighbor across the road had horrible carnage all over his yard from those daggone coons. I just can't imagine tha, THEY HAVE GOT TO GO!

I've used everything from canned fish to marshmallows and from what I've seen most things I've tried work so no worries there... I wouldn't worry about a cat, I've never heard of anyone catching cats in do traps there design is pretty effective so no worries

 

[Jntnrmn]

@Jntnrmn


What kind of animal crackers?

Stauffer. They are in a red bag. Real cheap. I tried to add a picture of them from the Internet but I don't know how. We always have them around because I have a critter that loves them as her after nap snack so we buy them every time they on sale and freeze them. We just tried them one day in the trap because I was tired of cats and possums getting in it. Neighbor shook his head and said no way...we trap them almost EVERY time with them

 

[slutter]

@MikeTodd
I can't answer your question either but I CAN tell you this...I have been SHOCKED at the things these coons are doing. Watching the video shows me how very smart and persistent they are. I always knew they were an intelligent animal but in these videos we are seeing them actually walk around and seem to be THINKING on how and what to do. They have been trying to get our vents off and one of them is actually trying to scratch/dig thru the wall. The walls are 7/16 flake board, doesn't seem to me they should even attempt it but we have seen him do it. It's just crazy!

They are terrible creatures, unless there's another way for them to get up I don't think they could scale metal

 

[Jntnrmn]

@slutter
Also, the bread soaked with the vanilla worked real well in those dog proof traps. We bought a big bottle of imitation vanilla from Aldi for 1.79 to save my good stuff

 

[slutter]

@slutter
Also, the bread soaked with the vanilla worked real well in those dog proof traps. We bought a big bottle of imitation vanilla from Aldi for 1.79 to save my good stuff

that's a good plan vanilla has a lot of advantages tbh...it's not very messy it doesn't smell bad and it works!

 

[Hholly]

We had a hard predator hit last night on my grow up coop. I just knew after seeing so many active raccoon the last few days, we were going to see problems! I am still reading hatch records to see who is gone, hard, expensive losses last night. Let me tell you, chicken wire is junk.. Please, choose a better option for your coops/runs. We have been budgeting for recovering one coop at a time with hardware cloth. I am feeling pretty well hopeless with keeping poultry here.

2 coops ripped open, lost teen chicks, goslings and a couple guinea keets. Disheartened beyond description. Many of the teenage chicks were just killed with heads gone or less. Found the entry points but it doesn't help those lost. This has put me a year behind where we hoped to be, stayed home and didn't go to our campground. Just saddened over senseless killing to just leave them lay. Raccoon are a very sadistic animal when it comes to a defenseless young bird. I post things like this to help others. I learn, painfully what doesn't work here, for us. Hopefully it will help others to not go through the same mistakes I have made.

So sorry for your losses.

And everyone else's too. I have heard more baby raccoons this year in people's barns and trees than I've ever heard before. My extra protection for my flock consists of a hotwire strung three strands high, starting at about a foot high around the outside of their indoor coop as well as three strands around the outdoor run area. So that anything crawling up the outside would get zapped. So far it's working well. I hope everyone finds a solution.

 

[Indyshent]

We had a hard predator hit last night on my grow up coop. I just knew after seeing so many active raccoon the last few days, we were going to see problems! I am still reading hatch records to see who is gone, hard, expensive losses last night. Let me tell you, chicken wire is junk.. Please, choose a better option for your coops/runs. We have been budgeting for recovering one coop at a time with hardware cloth. I am feeling pretty well hopeless with keeping poultry here.

2 coops ripped open, lost teen chicks, goslings and a couple guinea keets. Disheartened beyond description. Many of the teenage chicks were just killed with heads gone or less. Found the entry points but it doesn't help those lost. This has put me a year behind where we hoped to be, stayed home and didn't go to our campground. Just saddened over senseless killing to just leave them lay. Raccoon are a very sadistic animal when it comes to a defenseless young bird. I post things like this to help others. I learn, painfully what doesn't work here, for us. Hopefully it will help others to not go through the same mistakes I have made.

Janet, I can keep birds here for you until you're secure. It's not a problem. I haven't had any predator problems since the opossums last year. I don't want you going through this. I can come over Tuesday and bring your high-risk birds here for awhile.

(I'm also sorry I couldn't get tho BCM roos for you. I was there to meet the lady on time and waited more than an hour for her, but she never came over to me. She said she was there, and she knew what kind of car I drove, but for some reason she *miraculously* didn't see me. By the time she came back from her trip, my 'puter problems had already made it impossible for me to contact her, so I'm sorry and now get to look like a jerk to everyone on fb for "standing her up" 'cause she doesn't like using PMs for some reason).



***
Just in case anybody's wondered about what I've been up to and why I haven't been around much on here (or at all on facebook), my laptop charger was chewed though by some nefarious thing, and my tablet and internet-able phone died months ago, so I'm pretty shut off to the 'net. I can sometimes use DH's laptop to check email, but I can't get on facebook. Best bet is calling my phone (if you've got the number).

I've also been stupidly busy around here. Finally have a garden in. Lawnmower broke years ago, and I finally got sick of it and took kitchen shears to the yard... then DH decides to bu a cheap mower for me! Ugh. Also cleaned out the garage for DH, but now he's too busy on garage upgrading chores to help me with bird-related chores and upgrades. Blargh.

I'm not really a recluse, and I still love the forums and everyone here--I just have a really hard time getting on here.

Altogether, out of eight heritage turkey poults, I've lost two to some mysterious respiratory issue. All of this crazy weather has really caused health woes for the bitties, who just have a hard time kicking this bug properly. All of the afflicted poults have been pretty stunted and weak to begin with, so I'm unhappy about their health overall. They've all been terrifically personable and alert though, so no complaints on temperament. Of the two BBW poults, one seems to have the untreatable condition of twisted legs, so we'll have to put her down because we know she's suffering, but we're wusses.

 

[Mother2Hens]

We had a hard predator hit last night on my grow up coop. I just knew after seeing so many active raccoon the last few days, we were going to see problems! I am still reading hatch records to see who is gone, hard, expensive losses last night. Let me tell you, chicken wire is junk.. Please, choose a better option for your coops/runs. We have been budgeting for recovering one coop at a time with hardware cloth. I am feeling pretty well hopeless with keeping poultry here.

2 coops ripped open, lost teen chicks, goslings and a couple guinea keets. Disheartened beyond description. Many of the teenage chicks were just killed with heads gone or less. Found the entry points but it doesn't help those lost. This has put me a year behind where we hoped to be, stayed home and didn't go to our campground. Just saddened over senseless killing to just leave them lay. Raccoon are a very sadistic animal when it comes to a defenseless young bird. I post things like this to help others. I learn, painfully what doesn't work here, for us. Hopefully it will help others to not go through the same mistakes I have made.

Oh Janet, It looks like I posted around the same time as you, so I missed seeing your terrible post until tonight. I can't believe all of the losses you've had from predators.

I am so sorry! That's so upsetting to find your babies murdered. I remember finding my Silkie Ditzy after she was decapitated by a raccoon —who are known for eating the head and crop full of food. Just shocking. It's no wonder you feel defeated after all the work you've done. I remember that you added some electric fencing, but it was probably for your larger livestock.

@wheezy50 ~ You have suffered great losses of your flocks, too. I just can't imagine dealing with so many killings.

Maybe we can all put our heads together. One characteristic of Chicken People that I've definitely noticed is that we don't give up and are always striving to improve methods of caring for our flocks.

HARDWARE CLOTH ~ Brainstorming Help Needed!
1/4" Hardware Cloth is the best protection to keep flocks safe. I wonder if our thread as would have any "buying power" for purchasing larger amounts of hardware cloth or maybe someone is able to purchase it wholesale through their business. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? I was just looking online, and the least expensive that I found from retailers is 3' X 100' 1/4" for $96.99 (23-gauge) free shipping with Amazon Prime (Other members and I have a Prime account and could have order sent from Amazon to another member). We could help our thread members save money on this important protection if we figured out the least expensive source.

A Note re Gauges: The larger the gauge#, the thinner the wire.

I had my first broody hen hatch today! 8/9 and thinking 9 will be tomorrow! Any advice is much appreciated! Lol
I was lucky enough to have my dearly departed "Bonbon" hatch chicks twice. I absolutely loved the experiences!! Here’s a few basics: House the mama hen and chicks separately from the rest of the flock. The hen will keep the chicks warm, so no need for a heat lamp. The chicks will be nourished for three days by the yolk sack they absorbed, and then they will need unmedicated chick starter. The mama hen can eat that as well since it’d be hard to have them eat different things. To prevent chicks from drowning, provide water in a specially design chick waterer or use a small saucer of water with marbles in it.
After a few days the mama hen will leave the nest and take her chicks to look for food. She’ll cluck to show them where it is, and teach them how to peck and eat. She’ll eventually show them other things like taking dust baths, hiding from predators, etc. For the first couple of weeks, I only let Bonbon and her chicks out of their coop when I could supervise them. I mostly wanted to make sure that the other flock members didn’t bother the chicks. Bonbon was fierce— if anyone got too curious, she'd attack. It was interesting, though, that the other flock members were very courteous to the new mother and chicks. They would always stand back and allow me to dig around in the dirt with Bonbon and her chicks. After a few weeks when the novelty of the chicks wore off-lol- and they were larger, the other "aunt" hens started to occasionally peck the chicks to teach them the pecking order lesson.
@Faraday40 Great action photos as usual!

@amwchickin ~ Your photo cracked me up! Those Cochins are characters! I remember when to avoid nighttime scuffles, I put a partition between my Bantam Cochin Screech (@ellymayRans ) and Screech's annoyed giant English Orp flock mate, Eliza. The next thing I knew, Screech flew-hopped right over the partition and landed on Eliza's back! Screech had a look on her face like, "I won!"