Racoon AGAIN....grrrrrrrrr

[Bizzybirdy]

4 AM...chickens squawking over the baby moniter in my bedroom! I ran downstairs and out the door with 20 ga. pump and flashlight and there was a racoon under the bushes where he had just grabbed one of four 4 week old chicks and bitten it's head off. Thank goodness the other chickens flew off. I could not get a shot off because my flashlight was too dim, forgot to change batteries.

But he didn't get a good meal so will most likely return tonight and I will get revenge for my baby. I shot two other racoons about 7 months ago so I know how to sit and wait for hours if need be. Hardest part is staying awake at my old age. At least the weather is warm now.

All my other chickens are locked in the big chicken house at night. These few free range and roost in holly bushes in the front yard right under the kitchen windows ...where I have my moniter. There are 2 roosters and several hens and their 4-8 week old babies.

I caught the remaining three 4 week old chicks and brought them inside as they were visibly shaken. I may put the others up this evening and just let one roo stay as a lure. I already cut the bottom brush so will have a good shot. Hope I don't put a hole in my house foundation. Oh, well.

 

[mmajw]

I would lock all of them up either in the house or garage or shed and put food bait out there or a have a heart trap then shoot him.

 

[bluey]

A few weeks back, I had the same problem. My raccoon showed up promptly at midnight to eat feed every night until I placed a .22 slug in the heart/lung area.

Now, my raccoon has wings and plays the harp!

Good luck Bizzy!

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Quote:
The front yard chickens went, hesitantly, back to roost in the same holly bushes. I put them all inside and put my poor headless baby in the bushes as bait.

Had this problem before when all my chickens free ranged and racoons pulled them out of the tree at night. I shot two after sitting ouside in the cold I don't know how many nights. I then built a 5' high chain link fence, with 2 ft. of small wire tied to the bottom, around the chicken houses and I close them in EVERY night....except for these 8 adults that were "escapees".

I know exactly where he is coming in and have everything ready. Just have to try to stay awake and hope he comes back tonight, preferably earlier than 4am <yawn>.

 

[kartking22]

Quote:
Mashmallows is the best bait that I have found. Coons love em but cats and dogs won't touch them. Bait a live trap with them. You'll have you coon in no time. You won't have to lose any sleep over it either.

 

[Just-Like-Hatching]

I have had great luck with Coons using a Havahart traps with peanut butter sandwiches as a bait. 13 in five days in TN.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

I thought of traps but I have 14 curious outdoor cats, 34 geese and 7 Peking ducks....and I think my cats might like marshmallows, rofl, they try to eat everything else. Had one cat that ate tomatoes from my garden.

Will be going out around 11:30 to wait and watch. No chickens are out tonight...2 mean geese sitting in the shed though but my moniter is on. Am tired already....

 

[priszilla]

haven't caught a thing in my trap yet-- will try PB tomorrow.Marshmallows only intersted hordes of ants

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Same here. And we used the body of the one he didn't finish as bait. Caught him the very next night.

After that, Alex switched to marshmallows for bait, and we nearly had the beasts rioting to be the next one caught in the trap!

We put up electric fence around the bottom, middle, and top of our chicken yard, and nothing has gotten in since then (except for the HUGE MASSACRE when I stupidly forgot to close the door one night). Someone here had the clever idea of "baiting" the hot-wire with peanut butter, to kind of drive home the lesson of the fence.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Well, may have to try a trap with PB or marshmallows...I still think my cats will be the first in it. Sat out waiting
from midnight til 4:30am and nada. Last time it took several days...

Are the traps expensive?