Raccoons - way too smart!!

[Drover]

So, It all started yesterday night. I woke to find one chicken missing and another chicken who's head was pulled through the fence! I then heard some scurrying in the woods and looked over and sure enough, I saw a raccoon scurrying off into the woods. I have had raccoon problems in the past and they usually ended with my whole flock being eaten.... Im not having that happen anymore! So I set a live trap last night. I read on here that sometimes they try to roll the cage and get the goodies without being caught, so I took the advise and staked it down. I also read on here that they like marshmallows- so I baited it with marshmallows. I just woke up and looked outside, and the darnded little critter had triggered the close on the live trap, and eaten all the marshmallows.

Is there anything I could do other than try again? I have a shotgun, I have actually thought of sitting on my porch and a-waitin'. These raccoons make me pretty angry- I am not losing my whole flock again!

What should I do? In the mean time, I have my chickens in a pen in the garage at night so they will be alright.

 

[Hamstery]

What kind of fencing do you have? Maybe you need welded wire and hardware cloth to keep the chickens safe.
Sorry the trap didn't work. It's amazing how smart they are!

 

[Debbi]

The traps will work, but you may have to put some hardware cloth on the outside of the trap to keep his little paws from reaching through and getting the bait. Marshmellows work well, so do Sardines in the can. Just open the can a crack, and secure the can with wire to the top of the trap, on the inside of course. If using sardines, you might also attract other varmints as well, like possums, skunks, and cats.

If your run is fenced with chicken wire, you already found out the hard way how well that works. Hardware cloth is the way to go! It's expensive, but it will keep you from having to bear the pain and money or replacing your flock, so in the long run it pays off!

Make sure when you trap a racoon, you DO NOT try to relocate it! Not only is this illegal in most states, but it just makes the coon a problem for someone else. Not to mention, if you relocate within a 15 mile radius from your home, chances are it will be back by the next night! If you are not prepared to kill the trapped coon, then don't do it.

 

[wmcneal]

try a dp (dog proof trap). i've used the lil grizz, but i 've been took the duke dp is just as good and cheaper. when you set it make sure there is nothing within 5 or 6 feet of where the trap is anchored, and that you have a way to kill the coon. the coon will trash anything it can reach when trapped.

 

[Drover]

Thanks for the replies!
yeah, I use chicken wire... we always have I know it is not very good, but I have a bunch of it an can not currently afford to redo my runs. I think as long as I take care of the raccoons I will be ok. If I get money though, I will definetly keep hardware cloth in mind. I could probobly find sumthin to put around the live trap so the raccoon can't get his little hands in to grab the marshmallows. That was a really good idea debbi! The dog proof trap seems like it would be nice, but all I have is a regular live trap. These chickens are for my FFA project and my goal is to make money off of them or at least break even so for now I cant get one. I bet putting something around the trap will work really well though. Thank you so much for the replies! I will keep you updated on my problem. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I will be typing a response wearing a coonskin cap

always wanted one of those. Dont worry, im a hunter so im not scared to do away with raccoons.

 

[mcjessen]

Since you have a ton of chicken wire, can you double up on the wire? Just off set the second layer a bit from the first layer. That may offer enough strength to keep them from pulling the chickens' heads through the wire. Yes, set the trap. I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Don't waste a whole can of sardines, eat them first and leave the empty can,it will still work

 

[ivan3]

Achickenwrangler#1 wrote: Don't waste a whole can of sardines, eat them first and leave the empty can,it will still work

Definitely, a can devoid of all but the oily aftertaste... now I'm hungry

To OP: You might find the following to be of some utility: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/232969/modifications-for-standard-havaharts-save-time

Also, a cheap baby monitor in coop can serve as an early warning/call to arms (our chickens start growling and the stalking pred is soon enough being stalked/retired).

Good luck!

 

[Greyfox Farm]

I second the Duke dog-proof traps. They are WAY cheaper than live traps and WAY more effective. Call the folks at F&T Trapping and they'll set you up. I keep two set at all times a few feet into the woods behind the coop. Caught a coon last Saturday and a skunk on Wednesday. Marshmallows is pretty much coon specific, but sardines will also lure sunk and possum.

One little trick using the DP's for skunks. UNDER the trigger put a foot or so of bailing twine and soak this with the sardine oil. Remember that the trigger has to be pulled UP to fire the trap, and when the skunk or coon reaches way down in and grabs the nice tasty oily twine it will tangle on the trigger and fire the trap. Without this modification I was missing most skunk; they'd just eat the marshmallows that they could reach and not reach all the way down to pull up on the trigger. Still works for coon using this modification. Good hunting.

 

[Drover]

Hmmm.... maybe I should buy one of those dog proof traps after all! I might order one later this month when I get some $. In the mean time, I made some modifications to my live trap, and managed to catch the coon- but he escaped. I woke to find my live trap pryed open!! it must be a big one! The ground under the trap was all tore up from him trying to escape. I hammered it back together, and luckily it still works. I put cinderblocks on each side of the trap to prevent it from happening again- raccoons are strong little critters! I think I am going to sit out tonight with Mr. .20 gauge and watch the trap. It is right in my yard so I can sit on the porch... I really want this booger gone.