Haven't cried like this since Old Yeller died

[DuckRunner]

Woke up this morning to hear one lonely mallard hen quacking away in my yard. Went out there and she was out of the coop all alone. Something got in my coop and got everything except one duckling. I've got my live traps set with tanned rabbit hides and canned ham and tuna in them hoping to catch whatever it (or they) did this. Had to be something big, it got my coop door pried open and got my chicken and a hen blue swedish out of my yard completely and had tried to get my big drake swedish out, too but he was too big to fit under my fence so they just ate his breast out in my yard. Spent all morning looking around the area to find the other two but no sign of them besides orange and black feathers all over the yard. I'm thinking it was probably raccoons judging by the body they did leave and the damage done to my coop. Couldn't be coyotes, there's only a 6" gap under my fence and no dig marks anywhere around my property. So now the hen (who was raised as a duckling with the chicken that is MIA) is sad and lonely and won't leave my side and will be staying inside with me until I get a new coop built and I can get more friends for her. PLEASE, any suggestions on how to make a Fort Knox coop or keep these things away from my flock at least? I cannot let this happen again, these little guys were like children to me.. Last picture is what was left of the drake I found, don't keep scrolling if you don't want to see it, but I need opinions so I know what to expect for my traps...

 

[cppeace]

Yeah I'd guess raccoon or possible mom and kits family unit of raccoons. If they haven't been caught before you should be able to catch them in a trap. Best to dispatch them if you catch them, not transport(is illegal some places to transport) and make them some one else's problem. Very sorry for your loss.

 

[DuckRunner]

Where I live, if they get caught once it's usually with a bullet. Pretty big farm/ranch area with very few raccoon sympathizers if any.

 

[can you hear me now?]

I'd shoot. Could be a Fox but I've seen raccoons carry birds away. You would probably want to use hardware cloth. That's as close to fort Knox you are gonna get. I'd bury it at least 12 inches underground as well.

 

[SweetPoultry]

I'm so sorry for your lost, I agree it was probably a raccoon, it could be a fox too, since you said it was big, I had ducks before and I know that losing them it's really hard.

 

[drumstick diva]

Hate raccoons!! Can you run some electrified fencing around the perimeter of your coop and run? Coons are very determined, very clever, and have opposable thumbs, they can open most locks except combination ones. They climb,. dig, jump down from roofs or tree branches.

Ideally a concrete platform would be a good base for a coop, windows(if any) should be backed by hardware cloth, any ventilation openings should be backed by hardware cloth. Runs should have a wire mesh skirt around the bottom panels extending outward about 18" and covered by boulders or coarse stone. Any chicken wire should be backed by 1/2" hardware cloth and securely attached to the frame-. motion detectors with alarm are a plus. Game cams set out, so you can see what is prowling around there and how they get inside. Baby monitors in coop if not far from house, so you can hear any disturbance among your flock.

Livestock guardian dogs - trained to protect poultry and live with them are great. But, they take time to train. You need help NOW!! A run cover is a plus, keeps out climbers, jumpers and raptors. If it is solid it can provide shade and some protection from rain/snow.

Some folks like to play a radio loudly in coop -especially news stations with alot of talking

 

[slingshotandLAR]

I've done a few things that make my coops impenetrable....

I used welded wire for the outside, 1x1 dog cage wire. It's not cheap but I got a great deal on a big roll(free!)

Next, every decision you make while building should be governed by security. No gaps, holes, loose ends or half assing corners and that kind of thing. Everything needs to be completely solid. A raccoon has all night to figure out a way in.

We had a pile of field stones in the woods, that we used as digging guards, if you have rocks this is a great option. Nothing can get in these coops, between the wire rocks and metal roofs they are basically Fort Knox.

That's the brooder house, it had an attached grow out pen. Same thing no chance anything getting in there. A few brave souls have tried and all failed. My dog caught this guy out there the other day!

If he didn't get in, I have no worries about raccoons. All the windows are covered in caging so we have ventilation with security. I've set traps just to see what's out there and have caught coons, opossums and even fisher cats. Still nothing gets in.

Good luck


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[DuckRunner]

Got a start on my (hopefully) predator resistant coop. Here in south central Montana we've got coyotes, coons, possum, skunk, snakes, birds... just about anything that could kill my last duck is here and I know the raccoons know there's one bird left here. They've been cleaning my traps clean last couple nights while I've had my hen inside with me. Got the new coop 18" off the ground, will have the bottom 2' of the house surrounded with plywood and the top portion meshed in with lattice behind it just to add another element for them. Hoping this setup is like a duck Fort Knox when it's all done.. will be pad locking the door shut every time they're in it as well. Wonder if my land lord would be upset if I made a chicken wire screen over the top of the entire back yard?