Best Bait for Raccoons?

[FunnyfarmMidwest]

So about a year ago on a dreary day I watched as a raccoon walked from our front yard along the side to our back yard under our deck. We didn’t see him after that. Fast forward to a few days ago, about 4 days after our fence was installed in our back yard, it was another dreary day and out was our lovely raccoon friend wandering the fence looking very confused. He eventually went under our upper building I’m pretty sure. We set a live cage trap with an apple but no luck. From experience what is the best bait to use?
We are getting chickens most likely this weekend so the faster we can relocate the boogers the better.

A couple of raccoons got into our coop and killed my original ducks last summer. We were able to lure them back with a peanut butter sardine concoction.

 

[aart]

I would get some fencing and bury it in the dirt about a foot or so down and nail the top around the base of the porch. If you don't bury it they will just dig under it. Don't use chicken wire either, a coon can chew right threw it. I'd use something like 1/2 x 1 inch welded fencing.

https://www.amazon.com/YARDGARD-309...846HNF57HR6&psc=1&refRID=9Y7FR86P67E1QJV6AX4D

Yep.

Attached to deck in a 'apron' configuration.
Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
If rodents are prolific, burying the apron ~12" would be good.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[Chercher72]

Hi. My mom raised coons and cat food works really well. But the only good coon is a dead coon when chickens are involved.

 

[HomesteaderWife]

I always catch them with a bit of canned chicken if we're being honest =/

 

[dsw7]

1. Fort Knox your coop and your run. As if you are trying to keep out a child with small wire cutters and a small shovel.
2. Traps- marshmallows works well and cats dont like them (incase you dont want to offend crazy cat lady). Just keep in mind please *Relocating the coons just makes it someone elses problem.*
3. The best bait is a pie plate with 1/4c of fly poison and a can of cola. No traps needed, they usually dont make it 30' away.
It sucks to take somethings life. But one raccoon seen usually means 4 more unseen. We installed 110 volt mesh fencing around our cow feed and it only stopped the first coon, the rest of the coons used it as a bridge. And you dont want them near or in your home. nothing worse.
good luck and keep us posted

 

[Vadard]

I use those special cat treats. They come in little pre-wrapped packages for a dollar or so and smell like fish guts. Got some at Dollar General because I didn’t want to buy a whole bag of cat food. They worked like a charm.

Be sure to have a plan for what to do with the raccoon once you catch it. If you’re going to relocate, don’t underestimate their tenacity. Go at least 5-10 miles.

 

[Emily77]

Coons are only dangerous to chickens if you have failed to do your part to provide safe housing. I'm up to my neck in all manner of varmints and as a matter of course, I don't trap em, because I don't have to. If you are going to rely on trapping to save your birds, prepare for losses. Plus there is an endless supply of varmints always waiting their turn......so pack a lunch.......you are going to be at this for awhile.

Where trapping comes in is as a temporary solution to stop any carnage until you can get the security shored up.

And as for relocation........that ain't the solution.....for a lot of reasons, many of which are about to show up to help explain it. So in general, assumption should be if you trap it, you kill it.......and if you can't accept that......then don't trap it. Find another way......aka, Fort Knox housing.

But that isn't what you asked for help with.........if you insist on doing it your way.....dry cat food......if you want to turbocharge that, give it a whiff of bacon grease. Make a "bread crumb" like trail starting just outside the door.....a morsel here, a morsel there.....leading to a bigger pile scattered around at the back of the trap. Scatter it loose on the wire.....so each piece is beneath the wire.

*THIS*

 

[Emily77]

I will take all that into consideration. My husband wants to kill it if we trap it, I just am not into that. My main concern with leaving it is that I have my backyard fenced in now so I was going to plan on this year just having a secure coop, no run, letting them “free range” in my backyard and work in the fall at building one to switch them to. If they are wandering around my backyard I’ve learned they really like to go under porches and if the raccoon is under there won’t it just pick them off one by one during the day?

Pretty much, it's not a great idea to leave the safety of your livestock up to the local wildlife, meaning: if the wildlife can come into the same space your livestock is in, you're leaving it up to them.
On trapping and relocating: https://www.humanegardener.com/against-trapping-and-relocating/
I've been in animal welfare for 20 years. I dont kill predators. But if given the choice of killing it relocating, I'd kill it because that's the kinder of the two options. People think relocating is nice, but it *really* ruins an animal's life, and is very likely to see it die.
Also, you cannot trap all of the predators in the forest. Or your neighborhood, or wherever you live. There will always be more.
Shore up security. You want to keep your birds safe, then you see to it. Make your porch so either chickens or raccoons can't get under it.
The thing I like about a secure area for my birds (PS they free range during the day, over about an acre)(their free range area does not include the porch that the feral cats like to hang out under) is that I can do what I need to do, whether it's work or play or be inside at night in my pajamas watching Netflix, instead of setting and checking traps and dealing with whatever is in them...over, and over, and over again.
Set them up right the first time and it's like a crock pot: set it and forget it!
Good luck!

 

[quackenboss]

They cannot resist marshmallows!

 

[Lucky13Farm]

My neighbor does some trapping and he buys special stinky bait online. Might try googling "stinky bait for raccoons. Here is one good hit offering household solutions.
https://www.havahart.com/raccoon-baits#baitsGood Luck, hope your chickies stay safe.