Chicken food disapearing at night...I found out why

[patman75]

For a few days I noticed that the chicken feeder was empty while moving the chicken tractor each morning. This was odd because I thought the feeder was full that night, but I blew it off thinking I was just getting my days confused any maybe it was getting low and I didn't notice. I thought maybe mice are living in my unopened nest boxes but I check and nothing there.

Then something got into my gargabe cans on back to back nights and knocked over my potted plants.

My first thought is raccoons, so I get a live trap and for a first few nights I have no luck because the trap sentivity was not set right.

I go outside one night before I go to bed to check the live trap that I put by the chicken tractor, with my spot light. And there THEY were. 4 raccoons around the chicken tractor and one has his hand through the wire pulling the chicken feeder closer to side of the tractor and eating the chicken food. I caught right in mid bite and the look on this face was like "ohhh crap!" they all high tailed it to the woods. I wish i had my gun with me! I declared war...It is on now you MFin raccoons!!

I added the neighbors trap to my arsenal and about a week later I caught three of them and all are taking long dirt naps.

All has been quiet since. I have never had issues with raccoons in the 5 years I have lived here, but this is the first year I have had chickens.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Quote:
It has been awhile since I have heard this.

Glad you got your pests. Eventually they would have killed your chickens.

 

[PippyChicken]

All they were stealing was chicken food? I'm suprised they didn't try to get the chickens! I'm glad they didn't try to get the chickens only there food! Stupid raccoons trying to get you chickens food!

 

[patman75]

the chicken tractor is built like Fort Knox. They can't get to the chickens while they are up in the roost at night. I figured the chickens attracted them but they could not get the chickens so they settled for thier food and my garbage cans. Upon closer examination of the tractor I could see raccoon paw prints trying to find a way in but had no luck.

I figure I will do this dance again every few months or so. I moved the feeder closer to the middle of the tractor so that can't reach it. Hopefully future visitors wont find anything worth hanging around for and just move on.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Quote:

Good that you caught them cause next it would have been one of them pulling a chicken's neck up to the wire to take a bite!

We had coon problems and lost several chickens about a year and a half ago to them, but lately all they seem to want is the sunflower seeds that DH puts in a squirrel feeder in our front yard. I see it as a nice diversion, but DH declares war that the coons are stealing from his squirrels!

 

[stephhassler]

patman75 - would you post a picture of your tractor? mine is obviously defective as the racoons were able to reach my chicks and killed a bunch of them. i had to quit using it for fear my whole flock would be killed. i'd love to see your design!

 

[patman75]

Quote:
I built a catawba ark. I added additonal hardware on all the removable sides & nest boxes so that nothing could easily open one side and get in.

http://catawbacoops.com/

This is a picture of mine when I first put my chickens in it. They are laying now.

 

[stephhassler]

Oh, that is awesome - thanks so much. I think I could add something like that to the top of mine to prevent coon attacks.