HELP - Raccons!

[BettyNicol]

I have already lost half of my chicken and duck flock last summer to raccoons. They were two attacks and they got in two different ways. I secured everything very well last summer but tonight at 8 o'clock when I went out to put everybody up there was a raccoon literally walking through my backyard not 10 feet away from my ducks and chickens. It was literally walking on my porch right in front of my back door when I went out (full glass door). The flock free ranges in the backyard during the day and gets locked up inside at night. In a covered yard and coop. I have never seen a raccoon in my yard during the day. It wasn't even dusk yet. I let my 55 pound dog out who chased it and scared it out of the yard. But I found that the raccoon had already gone into both the duck house and the chicken coop and eaten the eggs that I had not yet collected. I am confused at why this raccoon did not just attack and eat and kill the flock that was right in front of her. They have been so incredibly vicious to my animals before. I have an apple tree above the chicken coop that they often live in during the summer. But I've only seen them there at night and I always chase them off when I see them.. But I've never seen them there during the day. What do I do? Do I leave them cooped up for a few days? Only out in the yard when I'm out there? What to do???

 

[nuthatched]

They've decided that eggs are easier for the time being. Make triply sure your coop and run are coon proof, if a 5 year old can get in, so can they, if you can get a fist in, they can get a head in.

 

[McChooky]

I have already lost half of my chicken and duck flock last summer to raccoons. They were two attacks and they got in two different ways. I secured everything very well last summer but tonight at 8 o'clock when I went out to put everybody up there was a raccoon literally walking through my backyard not 10 feet away from my ducks and chickens. It was literally walking on my porch right in front of my back door when I went out (full glass door). The flock free ranges in the backyard during the day and gets locked up inside at night. In a covered yard and coop. I have never seen a raccoon in my yard during the day. It wasn't even dusk yet. I let my 55 pound dog out who chased it and scared it out of the yard. But I found that the raccoon had already gone into both the duck house and the chicken coop and eaten the eggs that I had not yet collected. I am confused at why this raccoon did not just attack and eat and kill the flock that was right in front of her. They have been so incredibly vicious to my animals before. I have an apple tree above the chicken coop that they often live in during the summer. But I've only seen them there at night and I always chase them off when I see them.. But I've never seen them there during the day. What do I do? Do I leave them cooped up for a few days? Only out in the yard when I'm out there? What to do???

"I have an apple tree above the chicken coop that they often live in during the summer. But I've only seen them there at night and I always chase them off when I see them."

If they're walking around your yard and back porch , stealing your eggs and living in the trees above the coop they have no fear of you.The fact that they've already killed half your flock is all the proof you need it's not safe to free range.

 

[Callender Girl]

Can you live trap it? Or, are you in a location where the DNR would do that for you?

I would probably keep everybody cooped or restricted to a run for a few days to see if you can figure out some pattern to your intruder's comings and goings. And, I would ONLY let them out when I could be outside watching them.

A raccoon may not be afraid of you when you're passively behind a glass door, but it likely will run off if you give chase. You are a much larger -- and potentially louder and more dangerous -- predator than it is.

BTW, losing eggs is bad, but thank goodness you didn't lose chickens this time.

 

[McChooky]

A game camera will help you to monitor their presence without their knowledge .I bought one on Amazon for $30

 

[Geena]

Trap and kill or hire a pest control company to do it for you. Raccoons very easily become habituated to humans and will soon be inviting their kits and cousins to dine at your house as well. Also make sure your dog is up to date on his vaccinations, raccoons can carry all sorts of nasties that are transmissible to canines.

 

[Dakar2009]

^This. Get rid of it (or them) permanently. They are not afraid of us, and even if startled briefly, they will come back. And I usually never see them out during the day, so I'd be concerned it was so blatantly strutting around during the daylight hours.

And as noted, the eggs were easier than the chickens (thank God)...for now. But letting them free range and letting the raccoons stay nearby is a recipe for disaster. They have to go.

 

[Brooke_WI]

I had one this morning lurking around the coop. The chickens were very vocal at around Dawn. They are normally much quieter in the early morning. I ran out with the rifle but it took off before I got there. Our coop is very secure but they free range during the day. We’ve stopped tolerating any Raccoons on our property because once they discover the chickens they seem to just keep coming back.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I have noticed that when my neighbours male dog is peeing around my coop the racoons never visit. the second they're out of town (we share a backyard) and there is no dog pee for a day, the racoons start visiting at night. Try coyote pee around the coop or get your dog on patrol!

 

[McChooky]

I can't bear the thought of losing one to predators so I keep mine contained. So sorry for your loss!