A confrontation with a masked bandit....

[texasgal]

.. O. M. G.

So, the raccoons have decided that my chickens are completely safe after dark in their coop. What do they do? They start coming out before dark ...

I've lost two pullets this week just before dusk, as the chickens are beginning to roost.

Last night, I started 'up the hill' a bit earlier than usual and heard the commotion. Screaming - and chickens running everywhere. I bolted up the hill, losing my shoes somewhere along the way.

Then I see him, with Uno (my SF hen) in his mouth. He slips effortlessly over a fallen tree and starts into the woods. I reach down, pick up a sizable piece of tree branch, yell at him "HEY, (blank)" (my language can be atrocious when I'm angry) ... and threw the branch. It missed him, but he dropped Uno - who ran as fast as she could back to me and tried to hide between my feet.

I stared at the masked bandit for what seemed like forever .. and he slipped into the woods.. dejected and without his meal.

DH finally arrived with the .22 and watched while I gathered up the scatter group and made sure they were safely in the coop.

Uno had a bloody face (he had her by the head), but seems otherwise un-affected.

I.NEED.A.DOG.

We have decided that our Last-hour-of-the-day duty is now to sit outside in camos and pick off raccoons ..

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
I am glad your hen is OK

 

[ThinkingChickens]

Everyone needs a dog! I'm thinking you might want to get two. =0) Visit your local animal shelter, pick out something medium sized and start training them. I'm so glad you save Uno!

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
Personally, I'd go for something big. A large male raccoon can take on and kill even a big dog, but less chance of a big dog getting killed by a coon than a medium-sized one. Either way, whatever kind of dog you get, make sure you start training it from DAY ONE to be around your chickens.

 

[1livelychick]

I watched my male border collie take a ground hog and snap it's neck without the ground hog having a chance. It happened that quickly! So happy Uno was saved!

 

[amenfarm]

get a donkey!! mine would have run them off--he's done it with the people who had him before me. and you think a roosters loud, try a donkey at full bray chasing a raccoon out.

 

[Imp]

Oh gosh,
Don't just be vigilant at dusk. Raccoons will come out in the middle of the day too. I've peacefully coexisted for many years with them. This year they have taken 2 of my hens, during the day.

Glad you got Uno back.

Imp

 

[texasgal]

Quote:
most of the time when something changes in a predators world they adjust to the change in a coupla days or so do not be surprised if you get 1 or 2 the first coupla days then there is a lull in activity they have not gone away they are just regrouping they will start to show up after you finally go to the house. this time of the year they are in groups of 5-8 there may be more then one group, when trapping as many traps as possible for a few days is best then unset them and keep baiting then set them back again

Thank you .. I'll have to reset my snares as well as my traps as well. The LAST thing I want to be doing is sitting out in 100 degrees picking off raccoons .. not my idea of fun. Any eluding to that in my original post was sarcasm..

 

[texasgal]

Quote:
I have a dog .. I need a LGD.

 

[Redcatcher]

Glad it had a happy ending (at least for now). It was Uno's lucky day. Unfortunately, I have always arrived on the scene a few minutes too late. The last attacks have occurred in the middle of the afternoon since I began locking them up as soon as the last one is inside. Sometimes it requires hanging around outside 45 minutes waiting for them. Some will go in and then decide to go back outside for a few more minutes. Predators get to know what your schedule is too and they have an excellent internal clock. I am sure though your raccoon will be back unless you can shoot him or whatever you have to do to get him.