Coons

[Russo's Roost]

I have six twelve week old chicks who are in a pen all day and in the coop every night. I assume they are safe in the pen in the daytime, I work from home so I check them a few times a day. The coop is open to them so if there is a problem they can get inside.
Last night at about 1:30 AM I heard a rackett and when I went to investigate I found 4 young raccoons in the area where my bird feeders are during the daytime, I recently started taking the feeders in at night. I haven't had any problems with the chickens and raccoons, I am guessing because there's plenty of other food around for them. Should I nip this situation in the bud right now? IS it likely to become a problem in the fall as colder weather approaches, I live in central Vermont. Is there anything I can do to repel the coons instead of traping them and giving them the deep six in my pond.

 

[Snap62]

The only answer to a coon problem is either trap, kill or both

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

take care of it now! Coons favorite snack is chicken heads. and they can get into just about anything a five year old can . . . sometimes more.

 

[jhm47]

It's just a matter of time till they decide to have a little protein along with the carbohydrates that they are finding under your bird feeders. They are cunning, strong, and excellent climbers. Either eliminate the coons, or be prepared to join the posters on this site that lament the loss of his/her birds.

 

[Buster52]

Get a good dog. It will ether repel them (most likely) or take care of them in some other fashion.

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Quote:
But get one familiar with coons. A little city dog will be killed by a big male coon in a a matter of minutes.

 

[Russo's Roost]

A neighbor who is a "woodchuck" or a Vermont Swamp Yankee siad he could trap them and then spread a repellant around the property that would keep others away, he said the repelant is made up of wolf urine and a few other substances from their predators. Does that make sense to anyone?

Russo's Roost :

I have six twelve week old chicks who are in a pen all day and in the coop every night. I assume they are safe in the pen in the daytime, I work from home so I check them a few times a day. The coop is open to them so if there is a problem they can get inside.
Last night at about 1:30 AM I heard a rackett and when I went to investigate I found 4 young raccoons in the area where my bird feeders are during the daytime, I recently started taking the feeders in at night. I haven't had any problems with the chickens and raccoons, I am guessing because there's plenty of other food around for them. Should I nip this situation in the bud right now? IS it likely to become a problem in the fall as colder weather approaches, I live in central Vermont. Is there anything I can do to repel the coons instead of traping them and giving them the deep six in my pond.​

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

Russo's Roost :

A neighbor who is a "woodchuck" or a Vermont Swamp Yankee siad he could trap them and then spread a repellant around the property that would keep others away, he said the repelant is made up of wolf urine and a few other substances from their predators. Does that make sense to anyone?

Russo's Roost :

I have six twelve week old chicks who are in a pen all day and in the coop every night. I assume they are safe in the pen in the daytime, I work from home so I check them a few times a day. The coop is open to them so if there is a problem they can get inside.
Last night at about 1:30 AM I heard a rackett and when I went to investigate I found 4 young raccoons in the area where my bird feeders are during the daytime, I recently started taking the feeders in at night. I haven't had any problems with the chickens and raccoons, I am guessing because there's plenty of other food around for them. Should I nip this situation in the bud right now? IS it likely to become a problem in the fall as colder weather approaches, I live in central Vermont. Is there anything I can do to repel the coons instead of traping them and giving them the deep six in my pond.
​

I have heard that that works on other things. If he is a woodsman/hunter I would listen.​

 

[Buster52]

Quote:
But get one familiar with coons. A little city dog will be killed by a big male coon in a a matter of minutes.

Well, I did say GOOD dog.