Racoon: Now I am MAD!!!!Need help!!!

[can you hear me now?]

Well it is official I have my first raccoon of the year. The night before last he got in and got two hens, last night he got two more. So far he has gotten all the new ones and none of my adults. He broke the door, which I admit it kinda thin, but still is wood and got two of them. I don't know how he got up there it is seven foot tall but he did. Any ideas as to how to catch him? I can't afford a live trap, i do plan to shoot him but he is people wary and know when we are outside waiting for him.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Youu might be able to borrow a live trap from your city or county officials. I'd check them out.

 

[can you hear me now?]

I sure hope so because so far this one has eluded me twice now, that is two times too many.

 

[briana1975]

Borrow a live trap. We tried waiting one out one year and could never stay up that long. He must of been coming in at the wee hours of the morning. So we borrowed a live trap from a friend. Now we have one of our own. So far we have gotten 5 coons and 2 possoms.

 

[can you hear me now?]

I waited one out last year and he was coming when he knew we weren't there, we got him but he killed 6 of my feathered chicks before we knew he was in there. We went in for a drink and came back. That was when he came.

 

[chickenchickenbulkbulk]

I feel your pain...I have lost over 20..I have a 3 month old turkey with only one wing. Every morning I go out just hoping they haven't been back. We have went over and over the cage so they can't get in. They are getting them through he cage, they won't go to the roost, they sleep next to the chicken wire so the coons just reach in and get them. I wish you luck solving your problem. My son lays on the garage roof at night just hoping he can shoot one.

 

[007Dawn]

Quote:
I agree with this and use cat food to catch him. They love cat food. And believe me they can climb higher than seven feet. We luckily have a cat that likes to sleep with our chickens so he keeps most of the animals away!

But I've also heard coons will take a cat as well.

We also use a thicker grade on the wiring on our coups. Coons can chew threw chicken wire. They are smart and very strong.

Something we use to do in OH to keep them out of the vegtable garden was to lay out corn for them soaked in hot sauce. First taste they wouldn't come back. Maybe you can find a way to do something like this? Maybe spray the wire down before going to bed and then maybe the doors? The hens wouldn't peck at the wire, at least mine never do. A thought maybe worth trying?

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Hot sauce on the wire won't affect the chickens anyway- they have no taste receptors for the hot stuff. So even if your chickens peck at the wire the worst it's going to do is encourage intestinal worms to move out. Great idea.

 

[LoveKhlassy]

My grandma told my dad: "They're smart son, so make a journal of everything that doesn't work

" Sorry, they are very hard to get rid of...

 

[Oosik]

We got our first order of chicks two years ago and lost most to foxes, raccoons and hawks. I was actually down to one bird. I beefed up the large pen and purchased another order of chicks and some electric netting. I lost three of the new chicks to a hawk that was killing the birds through poultry netting of their smaller pen and pulling out pieces as best it could.

To protect the chicks from the hawk, I had moved them into the large pen last weekend and all was well. I was planning to put the electric netting up today -- but it became irrelevant. Last night I lost 22 birds to raccoons who scaled a six foot fence and massacred my flock. Most of what they killed appeared to be just for the pleasure of doing the deed. I am now down to one bird!

In the past I have helped "relocate" 3 raccoons, a fox and a possum. I am sorely hoping that the coon family returns to the scene of their crimes and I will have the chance to return the favor.