darn raccoons

[Folly's place]

I have actual doors on my coop/ run combination, with door locks, and keys on a nearby post. Let the raccoons figure that out! Mary

 

[Icon]

I found one of my girls by my front door tonight when I got home. I took her out to the coop to do a beak count, saw a racoon and COULD ONLY FIND 3/6 HENS! I found #4 in the corner of my backyard and another perched on a chair, which still leaves me 1 hen short. I then found a total of 3 raccoons. I am so upset with myself. I've had these girls for almost a year, and I was thought we were safe here in the middle of a small town on a super busy street. Currently I have 5 chickens in 3 cardboard boxes, sleeping in my laundry room. I've called an exterminator but if I had bear spray or mace or even a pellet gun, I would be going after those raccoons. Some predator proofing and locks will be coming this weekend.......and until then I am going to have inside chickens. Ick.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome, Icon. Get a couple of live traps and plan to shoot any that you catch. Don't trap them if you can't kill them, because it's the only solution to a raccoon in a trap!
Most of us have learned about predators the very hard way, and we improve things and move forward.
All the best, Mary

 

[BarredRockMom]

Raccoons seem to love marshmallows. Bait your live traps with those!! I know, crazy right?? I get the biggest ones that I can find, then bait the trap, wait, check & send 'em off into the light. I Even caught an opossum that way! But you do have to be prepared to kill it. You can check out the sporting goods section of your local outdoors store or one of the national Super Center stores, depending upon your state. PM me if you would like any suggestions.

Sorry about your hens, that really stinks

 

[Hivoltage]

I have one of those bolt / barrel locks with a hole for a lock. Put a small Carabiner through the hole. I doubt a coon can get one of those open?

 

[lazy gardener]

It's said that a coon can open any latch that a 2 year old child could open. IMO, the only good coon is a dead coon. We've had our share of them!

Never trap and relocate. In almost all instances, it's against the law. So, don't trap unless you have a disposal plan in place. I've heard they are tasty if cooked right, but have never worked up the appetite to try coon. I consider them to be just a tiny step above rat in the "edible food for humans scale."

? to OP: What was on the cage for covering? Chicken wire? 1/2" hdw. cloth? Something else?

 

[Duckworth]

I have one of those bolt / barrel locks with a hole for a lock. Put a small Carabiner through the hole. I doubt a coon can get one of those open?

I have carabiner clips on all of my gate latches and turn them upside down after I put them on, just to complicate things a little more. My latches are all several feet off the ground, but I don't know that that makes much difference to raccoons. I have never seen a coon in our yard, but I have occasionally seen them in the wider neighborhood--mostly near openings for the storm sewers, which I think they use as a subway. We live at the top of a hill, so no openings near our house. But I want to protect my flock as best I can.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you've ever seen a coon within 1/2 mile of your house, you can be assured that they are exploring your yard at night!

 

[Icon]

Well apparently I'm a drama queen this week. My 6th girl was in the tree in my front yard, but I still hate those raccoons and my friend at work said her son would LOVE to trap and kill them. Side-note, I have 5 chickens hanging out in my bathroom today........

 

[BarredRockMom]

Kill them, kill them all!