Coon attack??

[unicornwy]

We have several silver laced wyandottes that are about 6 weeks old that were attacked last night by coons (guessing based on evidence), four of them were dead this morning and we noticed this evening that 5 have only one leg left. We are guessing that the coon jerked them through the chicken wire and the leg ripped off sad. We've moved the remaining 16 back into the brooder house in the backyard with the dogs where they should be safe. These 5 though...Is there any hope for them?? What do I do???

another question: we've never had a problem with predators here before and have had the chickens over two years. (our dogs are getting old and going deaf) the total death count is 4 chicks, one grown chicken, and 4 eggs in one day. The fully grown chicken was found in the coop this morning half eaten along with the egg shells. We had to work cattle today so we piled the four chicks and the rest of the chicken under a wood pallet (so the other birds couldn't get them) and tonight all were gone except one of the four chicks. Any guesses as to how many we're looking at having to catch??
Do coons normally attack during the day like that?? There were NO remains of the birds this afternoon.

We have set up 4 catch a live traps in hopes to get them. We left the five one legged chicks in the pen they were in but blocked off the rear with pallets and wood. The two sides we put two of the traps along, one on each side. The pen is only 4X4 so that covers almost all of the pen. The other two traps we set up next to the chicken coop door and made sure it was securely fastened. All of the traps were baited with wet cat food except one in which we used the remaining dead chick. Is there a better way of dealing with coons? Am I missing something??

Also, no odor at all so not a skunk...mom coon and babies??

 

[CMV]

I would cull the birds with missing legs. That's a pretty devastating injury that they are unlikely to have much quality of life after. Raccoons are a tough predator. Sounds like you are well-prepared for dealing with them. Live traps are the best way to catch them and dispose of them.

Sorry for your losses. Good luck catching them.

 

[mgw]

I agree with CMV you need to cull one legged chicks asap. Sorry to hear of your loss! Catch those coons.

 

[bobbi-j]

X3 - Do them a favor and put them out of their misery.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:

 

[farmerbrownsdaughter]

Racoons for sure! they have little hands and reach right through and grab what they can! FYI, just a little shocking you left the one legged ones alive! Put the poor things out of there misery! Racoons are awful!!!

 

[unicornwy]

One legged chicks are gone...I left them alive at first because most of them were still hopping around balanced on the one leg and acting like nothing had happened ...???? Bizarre....

One that we found has both legs still but the toes got broke...What are her/his chances?

Update:
Night 1 on coon patrol: 4 catch a live traps set...outdoor cats in house. Time to lock cats up for the night. Hubby takes first cat out to cat house, shuts cat door and opens human door to toss cat in. Gets cat flying back out at him as the coon hits his leg. Coon bounces back into cathouse and hubby slams door. Brings cat back into house. Wife (me) falls in hysterics onto the floor over having four traps set and hubby catching in the cathouse. After calming down work on plan to get coon out and dead (sorry to those who dont want animals killed...no place to transport anyways here and I'm not losing more chickens...). We came up with the idea that we didn't want to shoot coon in cathouse and have to clean up the mess so we turned on outside house lights and car lights and aimed at cathouse. Hubby and I load our .22s and go outside. Hubby doesn't think we can wait until morning because coon will find a way out. Hubby has fabulous idea that more guns would be a better shot at killing. Wants to call his brother. I don't think that one more gun would hurt and would improve our chances so I agree. Brother-in-law shows up with all three of his boys. Ages 16-12-8. Oldest two are armed. Now I'm standing there thinking "crap...the only thing that's going to get shot is one of us!" Hubby unlocks door and we all wait, lined up. coon comes out and heads for hubby. He's to close to shoot so he grabs 2X4 and wacks coon on the head. Coon turns and heads into the dark on the far side of the cathouse. Brother-in-law is the only one to get a shot in and he misses. The rest of us stand around and don't shoot because we're all afraid we're going to step in front of each other or shoot someone who does. *sigh* Coon scores again and escapes. Hubby tells me how he wishes he had his old dog now. "Clinners" apparently took on coons on a regular basis and would leave them dead on the sidewalk. I asked him if this was the same dog that he told me about that killed the geese. He sheepishly admits that it was. I raise my eyebrows at him.
Lesson:
Hubby and I take care of it ourselves, cats moved to barn, trap inside cathouse door.

Night 2: Raining. I tell hubby to go set traps (we unset during the day so cats and fowl don't get caught). He grumbles that it won't come in the rain anyways. I think about all the stories I've heard about how coons always head for the river and point out that coons like water. He grumbles and goes sets them. This morning he says "about 1 am the dogs threw a fit but I thought they just wanted inside so I didn't check" I roll my eyes and go check....the traps and tipped over and rearranged and all the bait is gone. Hmmm so much for them not liking rain honey...
Coon scores another point.
Lesson:
Remembered that coons like shiny things, tied strips of aluminum foil inside the traps as well as rebaiting. Weighed all traps down with cement blocks. I will listen more for the dogs tonight myself.


Any more suggestions???

 

[wpalmisano]

Use marshmallows as bait. If you have the time and patience, be there waiting when they arrive.

 

[unicornwy]

I've been using wet cat food or the dead chicks. Do marshmellows work better?

Unfortunately I have two young children (one is 2 and the other 8 mo) and cant afford to loose the sleep. I've been relying on our dogs to alert me in the middle of the night and they're both older and the hearing isn't so great. It's hit or miss that they even know the coons are around.

 

[drumstick diva]

too bad this wasn't taped, it would have made a good comedy show for TV.