3 RACCOONS ON OUR ROOF LAST NIGHT!!!

[crazy huhn]

I was on the BYC page last night when I heard a loud noise in the yard. Did not see anything except the motion sensor went on.

30 minutes later bigger noise on our house roof. We went outside with a bright flashlight and 3 raccoons were chasing each other on the roof. They were not impressed by the light or us throwing things up the roof.
My chicken coops and pens are not far from the house and I just hope that they are not coming back. Does anybody have any experience with raccoons? I have electrical wire all the way around my coops and runs. How do I get rid of these critters? Cannot shoot as I live in a residential neighborhood.....

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Coons have killed a lot of our chickens (and a duck) over the years. They are nasty mean and super strong / smart buggers!

Build your coop like fort knox and get one of the "have a heart" traps.

Use the search tool to find people's experiences on raccoons and how to get rid of them.

 

[Nifty-Chicken]

Here's my recent story: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=95853

 

[Chickenaddict]

Those coons will do damage to your roof too!!! When we lived in the city where the coons were the size of dogs they got up on the roof of our house and ripped a massive hole in it.... cost of a new roof $10,000!!! the roof was in need of replacing before this so therefor insurance didn't cover it. We ended up getting a home improvement loan to redo the roof on a house that was built in 1856. That was interesting to see the original wood shingles and square nails come off

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Nifty, I'm sorry for your losses. That's a terrible way to lose chickens.

We had a couple of young raccoons that were playing, run past our patio door one night. Youngsters of any species are sometimes less discrete in their activities. We live in the woods, so there have always been raccoons, as this woods is around 37 acres. Over the years, we've occasionally seen or heard them at night, but usually they keep to themselves, farther up in the woods.

We don't leave any food or garbage where they can get it. We make sure the chickens are locked up in a sturdy coop at night, with good latches. We went with an automatic coop door that uses a light sensor a couple of years ago, to make sure the coop door is never open late. We free range in spring and summer, so the run door is wide open and puts them at more of a risk if we would ever be late closing up the coop. We've never had a problem with raccoons during the day. At night, the chickens are safe inside. They haven't caused any problems for us, so we just let them be. That's our experience with raccoons.

You can trap them, if you want to remove them. It's illegal in many places and generally advised against, to relocate them. Do you have a gun to shoot them in the trap? That's what most people do, that trap them.

 

[bluie]

Quote:
I have heard that drowning them right in the trap is less messy. Also quieter and no gun involved.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Drowning and poisoning animals are controversial options, because the animal suffers. Some people have no problem with that. A lot of people do. That's why shooting is most popular.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

Uh..... how about just driving it to your mother-in law's house and letting it go? No need to kill something that isn't trying to kill you or yours. and Okay, maybe i'm coming at this from a semi-vegetarian stance, but seriously, trapping an animal and then killing is seems really cowardly to me, like shooting someone in the back. Just sling the trap in the back of your truck, and haul it out to the middle of nowhere (or your in laws), and let him go. every unnecessary act of violence that one perpetrates damages the soul.

 

[ivan3]

Someone posted a shot (a long time ago on another board) of the coon tunnel under their soffits ( entrance to the raccoon `loft', i..e., attic).

Do whatever is necessary to scare them away (probably move two houses down).

Trapping and retirement is the most effective. A dead raccoon can simply be penciled in on one's Karmic account, a favorite hen can be substituted for but not replaced.

We had a concerted attack on the chicken coop a couple summers ago (havaharts were already occupied). They couldn't get through the door or windows and were pulling up the shingles on top when I was taking aim.

Leg mites, raccoons, etc. vermin is as vermin does (plan accordingly).

Ed: clarity

 

[crazy huhn]

chickensducks&agoose :

Uh..... how about just driving it to your mother-in law's house and letting it go? No need to kill something that isn't trying to kill you or yours. and Okay, maybe i'm coming at this from a semi-vegetarian stance, but seriously, trapping an animal and then killing is seems really cowardly to me, like shooting someone in the back. Just sling the trap in the back of your truck, and haul it out to the middle of nowhere (or your in laws), and let him go. every unnecessary act of violence that one perpetrates damages the soul.

This will definetly not work.....I love my mother in law more than my husband!!!
I am thinking of getting a trap and maybe relocate it. I actually think that the wildlife center not too far from my house has released them or one here. According to a neighbor the wildlife center has dumped them on us.....grrrrr.........​