Coon is trying to dig in, I think

[Wizbop]

I think we've got a coon attempting to dig under our coop. I have found evidence two nights in a row. The ground is hard. But the little devil is persistent. Is it time to trap? I don't want holes all over my yard. Would only a coon do this? We have a fenced in yard. It's not my dog and it's not the chickens. I don't want to keep moving the coop. Agh. I worried this would happen. Poor girls. Last night, I imagine the coon was staring in at them drooling as he/she could smell the hopeful midnight snack.

 

[Opa]

It certainly sounds like it could be a coon and I wouldn't hestitate to get a trap set.

 

[bryan99705]

Sounds like it could be a coyote or fox, they are more likely to dig to access a coop where a coon likes to find a forgotten hole or gap to sneak thru, but it could be a coon. Look for footprints in the dig area (fox are small oval impressions, coyote is a dog type print, and coons prints look like small human hand prints) A #2 coil spring or jump trap works nicely in your situation, they are compact and easy to set. Pull the loose dirt out of the hole, set the trap in level & flush with the ground, lay a piece of paper or a few large leaves over the trap and sprinkle the dirt lightly over it for camoflage. The paper / leaves will prevent the dirt from interfering with the trap's operation. Sprinkle a smelly oil or juice on the dirt to encourage the varmit in and to cover the scent of the trap and you. Also suggest you closely inspect your fence for holes or gaps (they got in somehow) and you may want to set trap or snare there too. If you live in a urban area and hesitate to do your own traps, maybe your local animal control will set some traps for you and they handle disposal. Your are correct in taking action as this critter is not stopping until the birds are gone 'cause critters like easy meals like chicken! Good Luck

 

[Wizbop]

We live in the city. I often find coon scat in the yard.

 

[cowdogcadillac]

pick up a live trap and bait it regularly . They sell them everywhere. You never know what you'll get. Possums,Coons,Cats,Fox,etc.

At least you'll know you've done something pro-active instead of waking up to chickens that have been killed .

 

[aprophet]

my daughter went to UNCG she saw a fair number of coons near campus they were in near the drainage ditches Y'all have down there

 

[bartchick]

Here is an easy alternative to traps, especially for city-dwellers. On the outside of your pen/fence containing the chicken yard, install a 3' wide strip of 1" poultry netting, 1/2" hardware cloth/screen or wire cage material. First, bend the material 90 degrees in half lengthwise, then fasten it with wire to the fence so that 18" height fastens to the bottome of the fence and 18" bent part rests on the ground outside the fence. This creates a 18" foot wide barrier on the ground alongside the fence and will discourage most of the digging predators. It helps if this barrier is buried about 4-6 inches. It works well for us, nothing digs further than the barrier. Good luck.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

It helps if this barrier is buried about 4-6 inches. It works well for us, nothing digs further than the barrier. Good luck.

It's much easier to simply lay the wire on the surface and cover with enough dirt to let grass grow through.

Why do all that work when you can stop them BEFORE they dig a hole?​

 

[bartchick]

Why do all that work when you can stop them BEFORE they dig a hole

Hey Bearfoot, What do you mean by stop. I don't use poisons and don's really wanna shoot everything until it becomes a real nuisance.​

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Hey Bearfoot, What do you mean by stop

See above:

nothing digs further than the barrier.​