Euthanizing predators

[roosterhavoc]

Don’t use a cage if you can’t shoot them. Use DP traps and a metal pipe. Sounds bad but one hard hit and they don’t feel a thing. Drowning is never a good option. It’s pretty piss poor in my opinion.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

A good pellet rifle either co2 powered or pump will do it . I have one to scare off unwanted visitors without being deadly IF i dont pump it up too much. Pumped to the max 10 pumps the pellet travels 850 ft per second. From 2 feet, thats deadly, and quiet.

Agreed, I once shot a whole family of possums with one, just aim for the head.

 

[bobbi-j]

The neighbors kids would get zapped and we aren't allowed by zoning. The kids come over and feed them a few times a week.
The coons even reached through the chicken wire and got 2. When there are 20 of them its 40 hands at a time i guess.

I watch coon trapping videos on youtube like it was netflix. Mental satisfaction seeing a pickup with 50 of them loaded in the back.

Since you’re not allowed to have electric fencing, anything else on the subject is a moot point for you. Your next best option is hardware cloth.

For for whom electric fence could be an option, you can safely use it even if you have kids or kids that visit. Either unplug it when they’re around and plug it back in if they’re too little to understand “don’t touch the wire or it will hurt you”, or leave it plugged in, warn the kids and then let them learn from natural consequences. It will smart a little, but they’ll remember to be more careful the next time.

ETA - if you’re considering an air rifle or something similar, I would strongly suggest you make sure it’s legal where you live.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

The OP was looking for suggestions for how to kill the predator not fence in her coop (or upgrade.

 

[bobbi-j]

The OP was looking for suggestions for how to kill the predator not fence in her coop (or upgrade.

I understand that, but if they can’t easily or humanely kill the hoarde of raccoons, they may need to consider exclusion instead.

 

[Folly's place]

Trapping is one thing, but will be much less necessary if the coop and run are built to be safer. We all learn! For anyone new, chicken wire is a waste of money and time, welded wire is weaker than woven wire, and only hardware cloth, with 1/2" openings, is small enough to keep rats, least weasels, and raccoon hands out. And it all needs to be overlapped and very well secured, or critters will tear it off and get in anyway.
Bad experiences here, don't repeat my mistakes!!!
Electric fencing is very helpful where it's legal, as are guns, but getting in trouble with law enforcement is a bad idea too.
Country living!
Mary

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I know it is not legal were you are but for the lucky people that can have guns they are you friends!

 

[cmom]

Everyone is trying to help with ideas, or hopefully to inspire new ideas. I don't know why the neighborhood won't allow electric fencing. I have electric wires. I wonder if that is considered electric fencing. Originally I had mine on a timer so I was off during the day and on at night when most of the predators roam here. I did loose some birds to a fox that dug under a gate during the day so then I started to leave the power on all of the time except when working out around the coops. I realize the OP said electric fencing isn't allowed so isn't an option but as far as I'm concerned it has been my best defense. Once a predator touches the electric wires and know they are there they don't test them again. I have seen coons on my cameras but they don't mess with my birds and I use chicken wire and in some places with welded wire too, but you could use hardware cloth too. Again, good luck...

 

[bobbi-j]

I wonder if all electric fencing is banned by zoning, or if it would be around the perimeter of the OP’s yard? If the OP could string a few wires just around the coop and run, so they’re part of the structure, so to speak? I truly believe it would be more effective to repel 30-50 raccoons than to try to trap and kill them all. That’s a lot of bodies to dispose of!

 

[NatJ]

I live in a suburban area where i cant fire a gun. So i have live traps. But in my state releasing a coon or skunk in another location is illegal due to rabies.

I read of someone using a slingshot and glass marbles for dispatching predators in a live trap.
(The kind of slingshot that's made of metal and braces against your forearm so you can pull harder, not a kids' toy made out of a forked stick.)