California - Northern

[caychris]

Thanks to the rain last night, my backyard mud pit was totally smooth this morning except for all the raccoon paw prints around the chicken enclosures!

I could even see where one of them tried to dig under the cinder blocks that make up the foundation of our hoop run. I'm going to need to check the perimeters and make sure everything is predator proof before locking up the birds tonight. The prints were almost as big as my dog's prints so there was at least one good sized raccoon prowling around and looking for an easy meal.

Reminds me I need a dry spell soon so I can get the coop door installed. Woke up at 3AM to next door dog barking like crazy. Probably a cat. Didnt see anything and everyone is ok this morning.

Dont think Ill see too many racoons in my area with all the dogs on either side of me and no one behind but better safe than sorry.

 

[HighStreetCoop]

Thanks to the rain last night, my backyard mud pit was totally smooth this morning except for all the raccoon paw prints around the chicken enclosures!

I could even see where one of them tried to dig under the cinder blocks that make up the foundation of our hoop run. I'm going to need to check the perimeters and make sure everything is predator proof before locking up the birds tonight. The prints were almost as big as my dog's prints so there was at least one good sized raccoon prowling around and looking for an easy meal.

Yikes! I know I have some really good-sized ones in my neighborhood. I catch them eating snails in my front garden occasionally.

 

[caychris]

Yikes! I know I have some really good-sized ones in my neighborhood. I catch them eating snails in my front garden occasionally.

Its quite well known that they will attack chickens even if they don't plan on eating them. Its my number one fear around my place fortunately I have dogs on both sides of me.

 

[Michael Apple]

Coons are bandits with masks. After I trap and shoot a few of them, I don't see them for awhile. They will eventually return if they know there's a food source. The dummies who leave dog and cat food outside, even going so far as to feed these masked varmints, or don't secure their garbage receptacles are a problem as well.

 

[KernH]

Thanks to the rain last night, my backyard mud pit was totally smooth this morning except for all the raccoon paw prints around the chicken enclosures!

I could even see where one of them tried to dig under the cinder blocks that make up the foundation of our hoop run. I'm going to need to check the perimeters and make sure everything is predator proof before locking up the birds tonight. The prints were almost as big as my dog's prints so there was at least one good sized raccoon prowling around and looking for an easy meal.

I keep two live catch traps near my two chicken coops that I set each night. I have caught 15 raccoons in the last three months. I bait the traps with dry cat food. Kern

Coons are bandits with masks. After I trap and shoot a few of them, I don't see them for awhile. They will eventually return if they know there's a food source. The dummies who leave dog and cat food outside, even going so far as to feed these masked varmints, or don't secure their garbage receptacles are a problem as well.

The raccoons learn what houses have dogs and what houses leave food out for their cats or dogs. In the summer when we sleep with the windows open, I can hear the coons coming from blocks away as the neighborhood dog barking gets closer and closer to my house. The raccoons have a territory that they travel within finding food each night. Not many people realize how many city raccoons there really are. They are pests that have learned like you say to find food left out for domesticated pets. I have no love for these killers. Kern

 

[PetRock]

Reminds me I need a dry spell soon so I can get the coop door installed. Woke up at 3AM to next door dog barking like crazy. Probably a cat. Didnt see anything and everyone is ok this morning.

Dont think Ill see too many racoons in my area with all the dogs on either side of me and no one behind but better safe than sorry.

Chris, I bet you would be surprised to see what roams your backyard at night! I own a possum hunting/killing dog and almost every neighbor (5 due to our culdesac backing up to 2 other culdesacs) that shares our fence line has at least 1 dog. We still get raccoon, possum, skunks, and roof rats. Our back fence seems to be a wildlife highway!

 

[PetRock]

Coons are bandits with masks. After I trap and shoot a few of them, I don't see them for awhile. They will eventually return if they know there's a food source. The dummies who leave dog and cat food outside, even going so far as to feed these masked varmints, or don't secure their garbage receptacles are a problem as well.

Before we got chickens, the neighbor across the street was feeding a raccoon family that lived under her deck. Fortunately, that neighbor moved out!

 

[PetRock]

I keep two live catch traps near my two chicken coops that I set each night. I have caught 15 raccoons in the last three months. I bait the traps with dry cat food. Kern

The raccoons learn what houses have dogs and what houses leave food out for their cats or dogs. In the summer when we sleep with the windows open, I can hear the coons coming from blocks away as the neighborhood dog barking gets closer and closer to my house. The raccoons have a territory that they travel within finding food each night. Not many people realize how many city raccoons there really are. They are pests that have learned like you say to find food left out for domesticated pets. I have no love for these killers. Kern

Since we got our dog, we haven't seen much evidence of raccoon in our backyard. They've been in the street and up on our roof but no evidence of them close to the chickens/chicken coops. That doesn't mean that they haven't been in that area though. My dog does her duty around the perimeter of the yard and close to the trees. Maybe the rain washed away the scent. Another sign of their presence that I have seen is muddy water in the bird baths that I keep on the ground for the birds. This morning, the foot prints were all around the water trays and the water was muddy.

 

[caychris]

Chris, I bet you would be surprised to see what roams your backyard at night! I own a possum hunting/killing dog and almost every neighbor (5 due to our culdesac backing up to 2 other culdesacs) that shares our fence line has at least 1 dog. We still get raccoon, possum, skunks, and roof rats. Our back fence seems to be a wildlife highway!

I dont doubt they would come but Im counting on the dogs to bark at least. The ones next door definitely would go nuts getting wiff of coon

 

[Audio51]

Thanks to the rain last night, my backyard mud pit was totally smooth this morning except for all the raccoon paw prints around the chicken enclosures!

I could even see where one of them tried to dig under the cinder blocks that make up the foundation of our hoop run. I'm going to need to check the perimeters and make sure everything is predator proof before locking up the birds tonight. The prints were almost as big as my dog's prints so there was at least one good sized raccoon prowling around and looking for an easy meal.

I hope they don't come back tonight..

Quote: They got about $1000 worth of koi from our pond last winter. we have been lucky they did not take any of the chickens so far though.

Quote: I can't believe how stupid people are about feeding them. They endangering themselves and others when they do. They are vicious creatures that can do a LOT of damage when they are confronted.





I lost another pullet this morning. It was a young BC Marans about 6 months old. The same symptoms the others have had from earlier this fall. .This one was fine yesterday (eating, drinking, active). This morning she could not walk and her head was rolling back and to the sides. By the time I got her in the house to get her in a cage she died. I did send her off for necropsy this morning to UC Davis. I sure hope I can get some answers this time. I have lost about 6 in the last 3-4 months to the same symptoms. All in the 4-7 month old range. The last ones were about 6 weeks ago and I was so hopeful there would be no more.