Dead Hen & Digging Around Coop

[chickengeorgeto]

... What kind of trap is recommended. People say capture and release somewhere else. but I believe they'll just come back.
I've lost 2 just this last week and I have to put an end to this now! Any other ideas to help prevent would be wonderful also..I'm getting quite distressed over this.

Don't know if you can buy them there but the Duke Trap Company's Dog Proof or DP trap is a great way to nab raccoons. Use marshmallows, honeybuns, canned cat food, or canned sweet corn for bait.

Do be sure that there is nothing close enough (like a tree, fence, et.) to the trap that the coon can get himself tangled in once he's caught.

In the States now it is against the law to release any raccoon at any location except at the exact same location at which the coon was trapped. Northern coon pelts are or at least were selling at a premium. I have heard of prices in excess of $40USD per pelt. Make the world safe for chickens, Skin the raccoons, sell the hides and buy more chickens, chicken feed, wire & ammunition. It sure seems like a fair trade to me.

 

[TinaM13]

thanks for the info! I'm going trap shopping on wednesday. Today I did more work in the barn and hoping I got it sealed up even tighter. So far all looks good tonight and even the dogs have been quieter tonight in that area.
Lots of changes will be happening this spring for more safety for my chickens, that's for sure. It's been a tough winter for them this year, and me! Spring can't get here soon enough!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

thanks for the info! I'm going trap shopping on wednesday. Today I did more work in the barn and hoping I got it sealed up even tighter. So far all looks good tonight and even the dogs have been quieter tonight in that area.
Lots of changes will be happening this spring for more safety for my chickens, that's for sure. It's been a tough winter for them this year, and me! Spring can't get here soon enough!

Amen, the spring flowers here are almost two months late this year.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

It is either a fox or coyote. The fox or coyote will dig to kill a hen. A raccoon will climb to find a way in will grab a hen through the fence and snap its neck. They then eat the hen piece by piece.

 

[tigershep]

I thought I might update this for anyone looking to solve a similar problem in the future. It was a raccoon. We know this because we purchased a humane trap where the raccoon sticks his hand down a cylinder and sets off a spring. Their hand gets caught in the trap - but you do have to get it off and I won't get into how that's done. I'll just say, if you don't get rid of the issue then, it will only get worse and they will come back. Here is a picture of the raccoon. We haven't had any further incidents.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Those are great raccoon traps. I have a lot of those pictures.

 

[welasharon]

To prevent them from pulling legs and chicken parts through the fence you need to line the bottom couple of feet with hardware cloth.

 

[tigershep]

Yes, they are very reliable traps. We tried it again the next day, to make sure it was just the one coon... and we caught a stray cat. Living out in the country, there's all kinds of things roaming around. She was very upset, and it was not fun getting her off the trap, but we did manage to get her off alive!

Good thought on the wire flooring. My Dad had mentioned that but the setup we are using now is just supposed to be temporary... waiting on funds for improvement.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There will never be just one coon.

 

[aart]

Yes, they are very reliable traps. We tried it again the next day, to make sure it was just the one coon... and we caught a stray cat. Living out in the country, there's all kinds of things roaming around. She was very upset, and it was not fun getting her off the trap, but we did manage to get her off alive!

Good thought on the wire flooring. My Dad had mentioned that but the setup we are using now is just supposed to be temporary... waiting on funds for improvement.

I guess Dukes Dog Proof Raccoon traps aren't cat proof!