Help!! Coon problem!

[Bookmole353]

I have a big coon problem. He is wise to the traps. He even takes the biggest of my hens. My brahmas. I have approximately 90+ hens. All in a penned area. He has gone over the fence and got the hens while they are in the coop. I started locking them up at night only yo find out he was getting in an area only 3-4 inc wide. He dropped one of my favorite buffs when he couldn’t get her through the hole. I found her dead the next morning. We got any spot blocked that he could get in the coop. He is now trying to dig under anyplace he can. We have also found holes in the chicken wire fencing where he has broken it. Now to repair the fence. How do I get rid of this critter? He is scaring them so much that I am only getting 3-4 eggs a day from 90 hens?

 

[cavemanrich]

I see the Hot Wire electric fencing as a very good solution for your situation. If you bait it,,, it will work even faster, and better.
Look up some threads here on BYC that explain how these electric fences work, and then decide if it is the thing for you.
I know that raccoons are very wise, and do avoid traps ,,,,, once they are in one. There is a way to outsmart them,,, by making a trap out of metal garbage can. It is a home made version, and I have one myself, that I made. I can search out some diagrams on how it is constructed, but would take some searching. My trap is in slight disrepair, since had no need to use for some time now. I still may be able to take some pictures if you would need them.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Breakfast for dinner]

Is a gun a no option in your area? I would suspect if there’s one then there is more...

 

[Bookmole353]

Thanks, I will do some searching for it too. I have 2 fence chargers since we used to have horses, one was an escape artist. I have everything to do it, just need to take time. (Hmm what’s that?) we found some spots where the coon has actually broken some of the chicken wire in spots, now I have to patch that.

 

[Bookmole353]

Guns are an option. My son has several, but no one has seen the coon just his tracks, and dead chickens. We even set up a trail cam but it didn’t show up. I think it’s the same coon we caught in the trap about 4 yrs ago, that tore up my trap and got out.

 

[archeryrob]

Get a duke coon trap and put some cat food or something in it and stake it down good. You won't catch anything but raccoons because they have to use a hand to get the food out. Shoot them in the morning when letting the chickens out. I like raccoons, but I've had to kill enough of them for the problems they cause.

 

[Bookmole353]

Thanks, I will look it up!

 

[Bookmole353]

Would those be the leg traps? I also noticed the body traps.

 

[archeryrob]

Leg hold traps are the normal no hurt traps used now. The problem is you catch everything and something you don't want or can't legally kill. Watch a youtube video on trappers releasing bobcats and you'll think twice. I'd just kill it and shut up, before try that to be honest. Your cats, the neighbors cats are angry as hell when you try and release them. It's not pretty.

The Duke raccoon traps are made so only an animal with "hands" can get into the get the food and it snares their hand.

 

[Bookmole353]

Ok, thanks, that’s what I needed to know. I will be putting it in my chicken pen not sure if my cats can get their paws in it or not.