Killer Raccoons

[Amykins]

Sounds like it's time to build a more secure enclosure.......

You severely underestimate raccoons, sweets. They're crafty little buggers, you could have your birds enclosed within a concrete wall and they'd find a way to kill them. They're brutal, vicious, horrible beasts. I've never killed one just to have others "take over the territory". They're smart, they know where there's a threat and they avoid it. Since my husband killed that one, the whole family hasn't so much as looked at my porch since.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You severely underestimate raccoons, sweets. They're crafty little buggers, you could have your birds enclosed within a concrete wall and they'd find a way to kill them. They're brutal, vicious, horrible beasts. I've never killed one just to have others "take over the territory". They're smart, they know where there's a threat and they avoid it. Since my husband killed that one, the whole family hasn't so much as looked at my porch since.

Not at all, Sweets, I fully understand and respect the intelligence and craftiness of raccoons - that does not negate the fact that OP has lost $1000 worth of birds, or that those losses can be reduced with reassessment of the structures Plenty of BYCers manage to build enclosures and keep raccoons (and other varmints) out. If one is losing over 100 birds it is time to evaluate your security.

 

[Amykins]

You have a point...losing 100 birds is pretty darn excessive. I just REALLY hate raccoons, they've been terrorizing me and my pets since I moved into this house four years ago. They're so bold that they try to break into the house trying to attack my cats! :/

Also, I hope you don't think my use of "sweets" was meant to be patronizing, I call everyone "sweetie" or "hun". I re-read my original comment and realized it probably sounded that way, for that I apologize!

 

[Onlyducks]

I would guess that at this point the racoon that is left is THE alpha coon. Getting rid of that coon may help for a while. I would NOT use leg traps unless you are sure there's no way to catch an unintended victim. Leg traps are indiscriminate. As noted, electric fences can be ignored. Deer will go through electric fences if they want what's inside. The only way to effectively deal with predators is to build a secure enough fence/building. My garden has a nine foot fence to keep deer out. I have fiberglass panels around the bottome to keep rabbits out. I have used some of the fiberglass to keep things from digging into the ducks. It's also why I have a covered pen and double fencing. So far, I have gotten by without putting a concrete or wooden bottem. We tried every deterrent out there and only physical barriers worked (as noted by littlefrog, sometimes it has to be a major barrier—more than you would think is necessary). It's expensive and really a bummer that a creature like a raccoon can make our lives miserable, but it's just the way it is.

(Littlefrog—since you can't shoot the coon, you can mix benedryl in with the tuna and the raccoon will be somewhat sedated and drown more quickly.)

 

[littlefrog]

Never thought of the benedryl thing. They go pretty quickly if you hold the trap underwater with a stick, but it is never pleasant to put down any animal...

I learned the hard way about predators... Lost at least 20 in less than an hour last spring, and four a few weeks after my coop burned down in the middle of february. The 'temporary' structure (with two layers of hot wire and the tall tight fence) only lost me four ducks before I put everybody into my pole barn for the rest of the winter. That barn will never be clean again, I think.

 

[Cipher12]

I have now lost everything. Still have a raccoon problem. Thought it was one Big one but there were a lot more than one. So Far, 22 raccoons have been dispatched in the last 2 months and still finding more. All ducks and chickens have been killed and the wife says no more until the raccoon threat has been neutralized. The pens were very secure and the still managed to get in.

Does anyone know if the chicken wire can be electrified?

 

[Amykins]

Does anyone know if the chicken wire can be electrified?

Oh yes. Yes, it most certainly can.

 

[desertdarlene]

So sorry to hear that all this is going on. I hope you find a solution to this problem. I know that raccoons can live in large families, but never heard of so many in one area! Is there a dump near your property or other kind of trash problem?

Where I live, the coyotes and bobcats tend to keep the coon population down. But, that's a whole 'nother can of worms with those.

 

[foothillsco]

If you have this big of a flock, you need a LGD. No way around it.

If you live in a rural area with no neighbor's pets nearby, this is an old family recipe. Day old donuts, soaked in Roundup. They are indiscriminate though. It wouldn't be worth it to kill a neighbor's dog or cat.

I have tried leg traps and they just are a pain to use. You need to be strong and fearless! If you go this way, when you catch one, pick up the entire critter and trap and drop it into a trashcan full of water, then donate the carcass to a zoology college department. The drowning preserves the carcass for dissecting.

This sounds pretty harsh but this is the price needed sometimes.

 

[duckcop]

If you have this big of a flock, you need a LGD.  No way around it.

If you live in a rural area with no neighbor's pets nearby, this is an old family recipe.  Day old donuts, soaked in Roundup.  They are indiscriminate though.  It wouldn't be worth it to kill a neighbor's dog or cat. 

I have tried leg traps and they just are a pain to use.  You need to be strong and fearless!  If you go this way, when you catch one, pick up the entire critter and trap and drop it into a trashcan full of water, then donate the carcass to a zoology college department.  The drowning preserves the carcass for dissecting.

This sounds pretty harsh but this is the price needed sometimes.