We have recently had to redo the coop due to a raccoon getting into the old one. The new one is predator proof as far as we can tell (sent hubby out with screwdriver and scissors to see if he could get in). Do we have to keep a trap set to catch the other raccoons? If they can't get in, will they leave the coop alone and go else where? Or, will they just keep coming back until they figure out how they get in? thanks!
when I deal with coons I normally trap 5-8 when I get rid of this many I pull my traps and let the homeowner check for a week or 2 and see if any more show up some times there will be 2 -3 groups of 5-8 that need to be dealt with
Can be either way, Leah. Coons are like little bears, relentless, crafty, and strong. Probably if the food supply in your area is pretty good, they won`t try as hard, but I`ve always found that once they get a taste of blood, ya just gotta get rid of them. Good luck........Pop
You can build cages to keep raccoons in. Heck, you can build cages to keep bears in. You can build coops to keep raccoons out. You can even build runs to keep racoons out, but that gets real expensive as the run gets bigger. It all depends on the confidence you have in your construction. I'd trap because of the other things I have around that the raccoon could damage, let alone my chickens. But I am in a different situation than you. Raccoons can come around during the daytime, not just at night. The highest danger time for you is probably around sunset when your pop door may be open. There is always risk involved. How much risk you can handle and how you manage it depends on you and your circumstances. Good luck!
Thanks for the advise! We moved the ladies into the back of the garage, so only have to really defend the pop door for them. It's pad locked at night. The ladies are fenced in during most of the day and let out for a few hours to range and run around before coming back home. The fencing id only chicken wire as we are only trying to keep them in and nothing out. may have to rethink that now that I read they can come out at day. Live in a somewhat suburban setting, with a busy road two houses down. Hope that the road keeps most predators away, loud during the day with the trucks and such. There is a river running behind us, undeveloped on the other side. can't build twenty feet from the river due to the fact that it floods in the spring and any time it rains real good. There is lots of life down there, as my cat brings back something everyday. Have not had a problem with the raccoons, but will reset the trap if there is any more evidence of them coming around. will let you know how it goes!
I trained my border collie to catch them. She has run off about 12 that I know of, no dead chickens. She has caught 4 opposums and 3 skunks. Sprayed twice lol My peacocks help too, if ANYTHING moves they sound off the alarm.
If you live in an area where there are raccoons (I do) you're probably just going to have to come to terms with losing a chicken now and then. Coons are very smart and very tenacious. My chicken house is pretty well predator proof, and my run is pretty secure as well. Even so, a masked bandit finds a way through now and then. -S
I consider trapping as part of my security. I built a strong coop and run. I have an electric fence. I shut my run at night. There is an auto door on the coop. I also have traps set every day of the year. Even with that, I still have the odd loss. Losses would be greater if I did take these steps.
If you have chicken wire around your run, make sure your chickens are locked in the coop at night. Raccoons can tear chicken wire apart, no problem. I know from past experience. I'm not sure why they call it chicken wire, unless it's to be used around your garden to keep the chickens out. I've never had a problem with raccoons during the day. Once we built fort knox, coop and run, the racoons went away. We would see them out there occasionally, when the motion light would go on, and I'm sure over the past few years they make their rounds to check it out. It's my belief though, that without any easy food, they don't come around much. Two weeks ago, hmm, a fox got one of my chicks out of fort knox, at night. Foxes being what they are, we put out a trap, with bait. We never did get the fox, nor have we seen signs of a fox since then, however, raccoons came in, they were attracted to the bait. We had already made rennovations to the chicken run, and the chicks go in every night, no exceptions. Managed to shoot the big raccoon, did away with the trap with the bait, and have had no problems since. If we do have again, we'll go with some snare traps around the run at night, with no bait. Common sense says, that when you put bait out, to catch an occasional problem, the smell of the bait is going to make your problem tenfold. Keep your chickens at night so nothing can get at them, and they won't come around much. If something gets them while they are freeranging, keep them in their safe coop and run for a week or so, and whatever it was will probably go to easier pastures.
Put a fairly thick dusting of flour around any areas where you are concerned that the coons can access, and watch for their footprints--that will tell you if they are still hanging around.
