How do I keep raccoons away

[johnderosa1]

The idiot furry child with the broken pelvis survived but it was 12 weeks of carrying the little block head around as she couldn't walk more than a few steps. Evidently it was what  she needed as she runs like the wind today and enjoys digging out voles from the pasture. Her brother's nose was inches from the truck's front wheel. They were both very lucky.

Australian Cattle dog won't go near the front fence. He's the one that took two zaps. Both my husband and myself have tangled with the fence and yep, it makes you invent new swear words. But I can swear to the fact that they work.

At the moment the fence is not charged. Doesn't seem to matter. Dogs still are not going near it.

That's the great thing about electric fences... It trains the local animals and they learn to stay clear of it even if it is not on. My fence is battery powered but it is rated for all predators even bears and really packs a wallop

 

[texan4ut]

We have several cats that roam my neighborhood and as soon as I plant my garden they try to use it as a litter box. Fenced it with electric fence wire and one by one they got bit and don't come near it. My next door neighbor was having the same problem. I gave some wire and told him just to put it around his garden. The cats see that wire and take off because they been bit by mine.

 

[mothertochicks]

We have several cats that roam my neighborhood and as soon as I plant my garden they try to use it as a litter box. Fenced it with electric fence wire and one by one they got bit and don't come near it. My next door neighbor was having the same problem. I gave some wire and told him just to put it around his garden. The cats see that wire and take off because they been bit by mine.

Hi, Where do you get your electric wire? I have many cats from in neighborhood that come into my yard. One of my pullet was caught by a cat, but luckily she got away. I also just saw a raccoon yesterday next to my coop. I am very worried. My coop was just built, and I moved my chicks in there just a few days, but I still have to do the apron around the coop/run. Can I use the electric fencing/wire if my coop/run is surround the some fruit trees? What if the raccoon just jump on the trees and get on top of the run and coop? Does its body has to be on the ground for the electric fencing/wire to work?

 

[microchick]

You can buy wire or tape for a system at any farm supply store. You will also need a power source such solar operated charger and battery or you can plug it into a electrical outlet. You will also need insulators and fence posts of some sort. We use insulators that we can attach to common metal fencing posts. Somebody at the store where you purchase will be glad to help you with what you need. It is not cheap but definitely worth the cost.

Yes, the body has to be in contact with the ground for the system to work. The ground acts as a 'ground' to complete the circuit and product the shock.

You will need to cover your run with some sort of wire that will keep animals from descending from above. Not only raccoons but hawks, (yes there are even urban hawks that will prey on birds. Sharp shinned hawks are plentiful in the cities) and other birds of prey.

 

[tarajane]

Folks, raccons are not all that abundant and they are not that tough. They are easy to beat using a range of approaches. They are also cute. Let us not try to scare everyone into hating the wildlife.

Where in the H---do you live that you don't have raccoons????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Let's see how cute they are when they are draggin off one of your most favorite hens or any other fowl you may have. Not all that abundant...OMG

 

[centrarchid]

Where in the H---do you live that you don't have raccoons????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Let's see how cute they are when they are draggin off one of your most favorite hens or any other fowl you may have.   Not all that abundant...OMG

I grew up around them, even as free-range pets with free-range chickens. They have limits in terms of what they can. I have also lost birds to them, sometimes good birds. I have killed many raccoons for many reasons but still find them cute. Invest more in the housing of your birds and provide less attractants causing raccoons to visit even when they are not targeting chickens.

Raccoons present but neighbors are impacted more because they do not follow my advice. They are also scared of them and have fewer birds of lesser value to loose.

I repel them now with fences, dogs and common sense with respect to pen / coop design.

 

[texan4ut]

I got my fence charger, fiberglass posts and wire at Tractor Supply. Don't remember what I paid as that was a couple of years ago.

 

[johnderosa1]

[COLOR=333333]We have several cats that roam my neighborhood and as soon as I plant my garden they try to use it as a litter box. Fenced it with electric fence wire and one by one they got bit and don't come near it. My next door neighbor was having the same problem. I gave some wire and told him just to put it around his garden. The cats see that wire and take off because they been bit by mine.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]Hi,  Where do you get your electric wire?   I have many cats from in neighborhood that come into my yard.  One of my pullet was caught by a cat, but luckily she got away.  I also just saw a raccoon yesterday next to my coop.  I am very worried.  My coop was just built, and I moved my chicks in there just a few days, but I still have to do the apron around the coop/run.  Can I use the electric fencing/wire if my coop/run is surround the some fruit trees?  What if the raccoon just jump on the trees and get on top of the run and coop?  Does its body has to be on the ground for the electric fencing/wire to work?[/COLOR]

You can run a ground wire next to the hot wire if you are looking to put a wire up high. The animal just needs to touch both wires at the same time to get shocked.

 

[microchick]

I hit Dollar General today and bought a package of marshmallow bunnies that were on markdown. Everyone says that raccoons cannot resist them.

My chicks are almost a month old now so they will be heading for the coop soon. I thought it prudent to set the havaheart trap for a couple of weeks just to make sure the 'bandits' are not about.

I love wildlife. I refuse to let anyone hunt turkey on our property and am almost to the point that as long as the deer leave my garden and orchard alone they can have the run of our timber. But I cannot condone the presence of an animal near our home, livestock, and pets that is strong enough to drown one of our dogs if it should happen to follow it into our pond. Our vet told us of that happening to one of his customer's dogs. The raccoon climbed onto the dog's head and held it under. Not cute.

So maybe I should say I love wildlife with the exception of raccoons and ticks.....ticks must die.

 

[Maeser]

We used a good solar charger for years with our cattle. Friend would borrow it in the fall when his bulls were pastured in a pastured with field fence on only three sides. None ever went through it. I loved that it was so portable. Also, if you set up a hot wire, make certain you have a good ground post in place. If your soil is dry it pays to pound it deep. Skunks have been our biggest problem. Years ago one made it into the coop at night. I heard a commotion and went out with a flashlight. Skunk was in the coop busy decapitating chicken after chicken. We gave up on chickens for awhile, but a couple of years ago I hired some boys to dig a trench and sank hardware cloth all around the coop. I've built a hoop house for the turkeys & am building two smaller hoop houses for our meat chickens. I put old chain link on the ground and set the hoop house on it. Wood chips on top of the chain link, then 1/4" hardware cloth 2' up the sides to keep paws out.