I am so mad!!!!! How do I get rid of these racoons?

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

My bet is -- it's a groundhog!

 

[Qi Chicken]

My money is DEFINITELY on the woodchucks or groundhogs. They did the exact same thing, under the concrete in our garage. One wall partially collapsed because of them. I use the term garage very loosely now...She had 7 babies last year. Momma is HUGE.

Do they eat chickens???????????????????????????

 

[dieselgrl48]

If they are burrow in without animals in pen or coop maybe groundhog.My neighbors dog just tackled one last week here at my big coop it was tearing her up and hubby didn't get a good shot at it so...Groundhogs are just pest basicaly and just looking to burrow and if they can get a lil corn on the side...Here most female groundhogs are preg. now and will have young soon.Groundhogs wont eat chickens for food but they can be protective of young or defensive in breeding season.Well at least I have never seen one go after a live animal for food

.Racoon's will Inaliate Chicken's!Hope you find the culprit and can get rid of it.Im on the watch for coyote and 2 fox and coons here they have all been spotted GRRRRRRRRR.

 

[babyblue]

groundhogs sure tear things up and make holes. they wont eat your chickens, but all the lovely holes and tunnles they make are excelent hiding and moving places for all other sorts of preds.

 

[bakerjw]

May try spraying pepper spray into the hole. It definitely will burn the eyes and nose not to mention if they walk over an are that has been covered by it their paws will start to burn. They will then lick the burn, etc... May prove to be a good deterrent.

 

[Mervin]

That sounds like a groundhog or a skunk. If you not smelling the tell-tale ammoniated smell of a skunk and seeing the holes left in your yard from them digging grubs, then I'd think it was a groundhog and not a skunks. Once you've gotten rid of the offender (small-caliber rifle works well for groundhogs), I think I'd try they skirting idea I've heard people mention on here. Lay a horizontal course of welded wire fence on the ground 2-3 feet out and cover it with rocks and dirt. Most animals, they say, will not back up to begin their digging. There is a lot of information on here about it, look up skirts or aprons.

If it's a groundhog, the easy way to get rid of it is to shoot it. I do know of folks who've lived trapped them, but, believe or not, they can be quite nasty in a cage. I also know people who live trap skunks and they tell me so long as the can't lift their tail in the cage they can't spray. I really don't want to try it though.

 

[Mervin]

Quote:
Good point. I was once took an ill-advised shot at a raccoon (not a clean kill) I thought was rabid and it used a groundhog hole to escape.