How to stop raccoons from killing everything.

[JasperMoon]

Your going to have to secure the coop and lock them in just before dusk every night. Racoons are relentless they will come back every night looking for more birds to eat.

Alright, do you see any trouble spots within the coop? I do have some pictures posted above. The coons havnt been around for a little while (Like I said they had been put down by my father ) but im not sure if there is anything I can do to keep them away from the area when we get the chickens.

 

[Quackter]

That's a big hit, I'm sorry. Like everyone is saying, good secure coop, electric helps. Like I figured, they will flip right over to late day if they know there is food, so locking them up at night doesn't help as much. A good practice on feed handling helps, coons / opossums can come in for the animal food, then end up eating birds. I'd say keep on trapping them, at least get the ones who know where the easy meals are. Keep some traps out even if they don't catch anything for a while. There is also a good dog, as long as he don't eat them. Some breeds just live to protect the flock. Good luck.

 

[townchicks]

Chicken wire is not raccoon proof. They can tear it or reach through it. I'd recommend replacing the chicken wire with hardware cloth, and/or stringing electric wire around the run. Secure hardware cloth with screws and fender washers, or furring strips, to prevent the raccoons from ripping that off the run.

 

[JasperMoon]

That's a big hit, I'm sorry. Like everyone is saying, good secure coop, electric helps. Like I figured, they will flip right over to late day if they know there is food, so locking them up at night doesn't help as much. A good practice on feed handling helps, coons / opossums can come in for the animal food, then end up eating birds. I'd say keep on trapping them, at least get the ones who know where the easy meals are. Keep some traps out even if they don't catch anything for a while. There is also a good dog, as long as he don't eat them. Some breeds just live to protect the flock. Good luck.

I appreciate the advice, and yes we had some Great pyrneese but they kept escaping the fencing we had was too short. but we had no issues with our flocks dying when we had them, is there any other animals you think we could use to help with predators?

 

[JasperMoon]

Chicken wire is not raccoon proof. They can tear it or reach through it. I'd recommend replacing the chicken wire with hardware cloth, and/or stringing electric wire around the run. Secure hardware cloth with screws and fender washers, or furring strips, to prevent the raccoons from ripping that off the run.

thank you for the advice, we have some in storage and ill asap help get that changed over

 

[ValerieJ]

We have found them in the coop out of the coop, in the woods but usually around dusk though right before we locked them up in the coop.the wired in area I dont think we have found them in the area though.

How are the raccoons getting into the coop and run? They are clever little critters and can open many types of latches. Is this happening? If so, change the type of latch you have to something that uses a carabiner.

Are there gaps in the fencing where they can squeeze through? Is there a gap between the fencing around the run and the chicken wire you have going over the run? Are they digging under the fence? I would put 1/4" hardware cloth around the bottom of the fencing and actually bury it several inches underground. Someone mention electric fencing. I don't have that, but I think it's a good idea if you are having raccoon problems.

Also, you will have to keep your chickens in their coop and run all the time if you don't want to lose any. Free ranging with raccoons in the area is just an invitation to chicken dinner. That means you wont be able to have as many chickens as you did before because your space wont accommodate it. The coop should provide 4 SF of space per bird (if they have that whole barn, you might have that already), and the run should be 10 SF per bird, and that you don't have. Also, you need some obstacles in that run to provide get away places for chickens lower on the pecking order. Having food in more than one place is important too.

Basically, walk around your coop and run and think like a predator. Where could you get your hand in? Raccoons can climb and they have hands. Good luck!

 

[Quackter]

I appreciate the advice, and yes we had some Great pyrneese but they kept escaping the fencing we had was too short. but we had no issues with our flocks dying when we had them, is there any other animals you think we could use to help with predators?

Donkeys and Llamas, good general protection but the problem is they probably won't see the birds as part of their herd. A big mean goose will usually bluff off a coon or even a fox, but not always, that's for sure. Then if a coyote comes in, it just gets an easy meal. I guess depending on your neighbors etc, something like a healer, kelpy, aussie, they'll always come back, just you have to get them in with birds young.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I appreciate the advice, and yes we had some Great pyrneese but they kept escaping the fencing we had was too short. but we had no issues with our flocks dying when we had them, is there any other animals you think we could use to help with predators?

It almost sounds like you know the answers to your own problems, you just don't implement them. The Great Pyrenees were keeping the predators away, but they weren't staying home due to short fences. Were they spayed/neutered? That often helps keep a dog home. Also, better fencing would also have helped keep the dogs where you needed them to be to protect your flocks. I would not recommend spending another penny on expensive birds until you address your security issues. Otherwise you wll just be feeding the raccoons again.

 

[Gray Farms]

Alright, do you see any trouble spots within the coop? I do have some pictures posted above. The coons havnt been around for a little while (Like I said they had been put down by my father ) but im not sure if there is anything I can do to keep them away from the area when we get the chickens.

Determined racoons can rip through chicken wire. Make sure its all tight, secure, and in good shape. You may need to add a layer of hardware cloth. They can also dig. So make sure the outdoor pen is flush with the ground. And low spot will invite them to start digging there. Place some wire, steel, or large stones around the perimeter of the pen to discourage digging. Make sure all windows have well secured hardware cloth over them. Racoons can go right through screen and glass. Doors should shut tightly and securely. If they can pull on a corner they may get it open enough to get in. I recommend feeding them in the early evening so they come back to the coop. Then shut them in. They will get the habit of coming back to the coop earlier to be fed. Racoons will come at dusk just as likely as dark once they figure out the chickens patterns. Also make sure feed is not accessible to the racoons. Feed will attract them as well. If the racoons still get some birds you may have to step into the next faze of elec fencing and/or a livestock guardian dog.

 

[Newfowler1]

I am sorry to hear about such a huge loss.