Discouraged by sudden predator problems. :(

[Tylt33]

I'm in the same boat as you. I lost my first chicken, ever, last weekend to raccoons. Now I'm traumatized. I lock up the coop each night, promptly, and have to fight the urge to double check it before I've even gone back in the house. I lay in bed listening for my girls, as when we lost the last one we heard her death cry. If you're anything like me you feel anxious and on-edge. I plan on doing the same thing as you... trap and relocate. Keep in mind trapping and relocating raccoons in California is illegal...

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Quote:
I'm sorry we're both in this boat! It's certainly not a pleasant one to be in. All of my birds are pets first and foremost, so it's extremely tough on me when I lose one or more. I'm paranoid the raccoon will be back!

I know it's illegal. If I do relocate, it'll be out in the middle of nowhere about fifteen minutes' drive from here. I'm researching my options and I'm going to talk to my fellow wildlife rehabbers about what their opinions are. One of my rehabber friends is a wildlife biologist and keeps chickens herself, so I'm sure she'll have some good advice and thoughts. I'll have the raccoon humanely euthanized if need be, but I'd prefer not to kill if possible... If I do go for relocating, the raccoon will be released near a river where he or she will have a fighting chance.

Of course, none of this matters until the raccoon has been trapped, but I'm getting ready to make decisions regardless. I wish you the best with your trapping efforts as well!

 

[Lightfoote]

Quote:
High likelihood that this particular pest is a skunk. Skunks will dig, and they almost always seek eggs, not chickens. The only chicken a skunk would take would be the smallest, most docile and unprotected one - and only then if the skunk were hungry and aggressive. Normally, they open the ends of the eggs up and eat them that way. On the downside, the skunks are ravenous, and once they find an easy meal ticket they will habitually keep coming back for more. This is a problem you want to be rid of.

Lightfoote

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Quote:
High likelihood that this particular pest is a skunk. Skunks will dig, and they almost always seek eggs, not chickens. The only chicken a skunk would take would be the smallest, most docile and unprotected one - and only then if the skunk were hungry and aggressive. Normally, they open the ends of the eggs up and eat them that way. On the downside, the skunks are ravenous, and once they find an easy meal ticket they will habitually keep coming back for more. This is a problem you want to be rid of.

Lightfoote

Thanks! These particular holes are fairly small, but I agree that it is probably a skunk. I've seen a skunk in my coop before and shooed him out twice and didn't see him again for a long time, and I think he's back now. I'll probably catch him, too, or perhaps just fix up the coop so he can't dig under. I do have some extra hardware cloth and I could get more.

 

[DvanderSlik]

Quote:
For #4) Wouldn't killing it also result in the deaths of young through starvation that have now lost their mother due to "killing" it? Hmmm. Just a thought.

Anyway, i also work for an animal welfare organization and really appreciate your thoughts on the most humane thing to do with the raccoon. If you decide to bring it to a humane organziation for it to be euthanized, be sure it's by injection only, do what you can to avoid it going into a gas chamber.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Quote:
Indeed, I was thinking that myself. And where I live is a good environment for wildlife to live in with lots of wild area around, so if I can relocate it I will. If not, I will make sure it gets a swift and painless end by injection.

Glad to find someone else who works for animals.

I try my hardest to be humane whenever I can.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
I'm sorry we're both in this boat! It's certainly not a pleasant one to be in. All of my birds are pets first and foremost, so it's extremely tough on me when I lose one or more. I'm paranoid the raccoon will be back!

I know it's illegal. If I do relocate, it'll be out in the middle of nowhere about fifteen minutes' drive from here. I'm researching my options and I'm going to talk to my fellow wildlife rehabbers about what their opinions are. One of my rehabber friends is a wildlife biologist and keeps chickens herself, so I'm sure she'll have some good advice and thoughts. I'll have the raccoon humanely euthanized if need be, but I'd prefer not to kill if possible... If I do go for relocating, the raccoon will be released near a river where he or she will have a fighting chance.

Of course, none of this matters until the raccoon has been trapped, but I'm getting ready to make decisions regardless. I wish you the best with your trapping efforts as well!

And if someone else has already relocated the animal in question it is gonna be a bugger to catch good luck LOL

 

[cmom]

Electric fences work GREAT!!!

 

[bryan99705]

Sounds like somebody rehabbed in your yard.

You should check the lumber in your coop and run, after this long, it may be starting to rot and weaken, especially anything ground contact. When that happens the nails, screws, and staples pull very easy and your birds are at risk. You may also need to replace any wire that has rusted over time too.

Might consider an electric fence perimeter as a defence. Once an animal nose hits it, they tend to relocate themselves for good!

I won't express my thoughts on the practice of catch & release of livestock killing predators. Suffices to say I recycle predators, fur hats, fur mittens, mukluks, parka ruffs, etc

 

[FireTigeris]

(Fl its illegal to transport most wildlife w/o permit.)