Had a racoon visitor last night

[conny63malies]

I got out this morning to feed the duckers and right by the front door were two sets of racoon tracks. The marched right by the ducks not even 10 ft away and did NOT harm them in any way. This is not thee first time they were here , i found their scat before. But for reasons i dont understand but certainly appreciate they leave my ducks and the chicken alone. Can anyone tell me why a racoon wouldnt kill such easy prey? Does it have anything to do with my dog being outside most of the day? Or are they just some snobs that prefer trash digging over live food? I really love the fact that they bypass my backyard, they dont even et the leftover for the ducks that i throw out sometimes.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Are your birds cooped or fenced in?

 

[conny63malies]

Fenced but they only have a thee sided run in shelter and the chicken has a cat carrier lined with styrofoam and reflective foil .
The ducks are only close to the fence around noon time when they all line up at the north side of it for a siesta, other than that they stay from the fence.

 

[jhm47]

It's just a matter of time-----------------!

 

[conny63malies]

I will actually build a better run in with a door in the next two weeks. Christmas drained my budget a bit

 

[kuntrygirl]

jhm47 is absolutely right. it's just a matter of time.

i have been hit twice in the last month by a raccoon. it killed 2 of my bantams and got hold to a setting hen and her eggs. feathers and broken eggs were everywhere. i was so hurt.

everyone that I talked to said that raccoons do not eat chickens. guess what? WRONG !!!! i went online and searched raccoons and came across several sites that said raccoons do eat chickens and they love the chicken breast. the remains of bantams looked like a turkey at thanksgiving after everyone had eaten and all of meat had been ripped from the bones. it was a horrible site.

since then, i have contacted animal control so they can come out and set a trap to catch him. Gotta love animal control. 4 weeks and no sight of them. i have actually seen the raccoon on my property. he is a big boy !!!

I found this article on the net. This is the site.

http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/ag/wildlife/racoons.html

I have copied and pasted a section of it. Please read below.


Damage

Raccoons can cause substantial damage. In urban areas, raccoons damage buildings (particularly attics and roofs), gardens, fruit trees, lawns, garbage cans and trash containers. They are also attracted to pet food left outdoors and will attack pets. Occasionally, one or more raccoons will establish a communal toilet area resulting in time to the deposition of a large number of scats. In rural areas, raccoons may feed on farm crops or raid poultry houses. A raccoon typically attacks birds by biting the head or upper neck area. The heads of adult birds are usually bitten off and left some distance from the body. The crop and breast may be torn and chewed and the entrails eaten. Raccoons have been known to mutilate poultry in cages by pulling heads or legs off. Several kills may be made during a single night raid with part of one or more carcasses fed upon. Dead fowl may be at the kill site or dragged several yards away. Raccoons are also serious predators of wild bird populations. Reports indicate that raccoons have been responsible for eliminating local populations of some nesting waterfowl.


don't the let cute raccoons faces fool you. protect your animals.

good luck with your problem.

 

[birdlover]

If i were you, I'd put your dog right by the run 24/7 until you get better protection for your birds. Or you could put up an electric fence. Mother nature did you a favor and forewarned you - better take the hint! Good luck!

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

Sounds like the raccoon was just casing the joint, trying to figure out the best spot to park the getaway car.

 

[Imp]

Maybe they are just lazy racoons. I have racoons that show up in my yard and don't mess with the chickens. They have swam to the bottom of my pond and dragged out the catfish. I got an unpleasant shock last summer when I looked outside and saw the racoons freeranging with the chickens, for cherries. It was my day off, so I don't know how often it has happened before, while I was at work. I know another person who stopped the racoons from eating her birds by feeding them catfood. Sounds like a little good luck, just be careful.
Imp

 

[TexasVet]

If I were you, I'd set a trap before it's too late. I caught two racoons in two days... AFTER they'd killed our pet duck, my broody hen, and about 8 cuckoo maran chicks.

They're smart and they can open a latched door.

Kathy in Texas