fighting raccoons

[MamaBigMouth]

These chicken's are my ladies :cd
They are definitely figuring out the pecking order - LOL but all is well.
I clipped wings yesterday afternoon and they free range between noon & 5 pm
When I went out last night all were tucked in and roosting together. Sweet!!
Thank you for reminding me about the concrete block, I'll do that now so as not to forget.
Have a wonderful day!

 

[slutter]

Sardines or any cheap canned fish is my go to, as many have said lol I just scoop a little bit into each trap

 

[cream puff]

This group is amazing! I just lost my first chicken to raccoons this morning, it was horrible.
There was a clear feather trail right to my neighbor's shed. On one side of the shed I found a foot and bits of beak and on the other side I found her other foot.

I now have one Red Star who is calling for her friend and it's braking my heart. I live in Richmond VA. If anyone knows of any young pulleys available please notify me ASAP
Thank you for all of the great tips, I'm working on revamping the coop and installing electric wire. This is war!

I feel your pain I was telling a neighbor that a raccoon had killed my favorite chicken, and she actually said to me,"raccoons need to eat too" and I (getting angry) said, "Yeah, but not my chickens" then I laced some egg salad with habaneros and giggled to myself while I waited. The next morning there was a pile of raccoon diarrhea outside my bedroom window with identifiable egg salad in it, that evil little *&*^$&^%* had to walk all the way around the house and up the stairs, and cross a big balcony to crap by my window. It IS war. They are brutal killers, my poor little silkie/cochin... her name was Chickadee... she would follow me around and gobble up worms from the garden...

Someone once suggested setting an electric fence wire 6 inches high and cover a section with peanut butter, I thought that was an excellent idea. I've got to get some and set it up around the tree where their den is.

 

[Birdydeb]

Well I had been following this thread to educate myself because forewarned is forearmed, right? My coop is like Fort Knox....double walled, double HC on windows, double locks on door and HC at roofline and cannot be dug under. Run and pen...eh, needs work. My GP's patrol during the day though and I felt pretty confident in their safety at night. Well this morning I found fresh raccoon scat on my back porch! Thankfully it occurred to me what I was looking at and I didn't handle it and disposed of it safely. I think it was checking out an empty trash can I had set out there to clean. This is only about 50 feet from my coop. I can't see any attempts down there but it is most definitely checking things out. A friend is loaning me a trap, not sure what kind and I will be working on even stronger defenses today. Posted this to let people know....this raccoon came over a chain link fence into our backyard and all the way across a backyard that is used by two GP's. Several people had told us that chain link plus a yard that GP's in it be when they are outside or even just their smell and poop in the yard meant nothing would come in the yard at night. I never did think that was fool safe and last night proved it. Might have been so for awhile but an enterprising raccoon has figured out that he can visit the backyard at night. This is war!

 

[Folly's place]

Glad that you discovered what we all find out sooner or later; everyone has 'varmits' that are happy to visit the coop! Mary

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Yeah...once a raccoon smells food there is little that will deter it.

 

[MamaBigMouth]

I'm so sorry you lost Chickadee
But what great revenge! Please keep me updated!
I haven't seen the critter that got Daisy. We 've set a trap for 5 days now and not a single nibble.
I refuse to let my guard down though, I love your egg salad idea.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I'm so sorry you lost Chickadee
But what great revenge! Please keep me updated!
I haven't seen the critter that got Daisy. We 've set a trap for 5 days now and not a single nibble.
I refuse to let my guard down though, I love your egg salad idea.

What bait are you using?

Could you post an image of your set, close up of the trap with bait and then a wide field shot showing the trap and surroundings.

 

[MamaBigMouth]

I'll absolutely take photos when it stops pouring rain : )
I've tried cat food, dog food and marshmallows, I've seen it all suggested here.
I'm thinking sardines next and I'm really linking your egg salad idea!
My husband is convinced we'll catch a neighborhood cat and
miss the real predator. So far we've got nothing.
I'll post photos soon!

 

[Folly's place]

Add another trap, maybe the next size larger, nearby but not right next to the first one. A protected spot on the way to the coop, and good fresh bait. Mary