So it all started about a week ago when I went to let the chickens out for the morning and they were already out. I double checked the latch! All were accounted for except one Coconut buff cochin, ****....So reinforcements went onto the door, added latches added measures of protection although I thought mine were pretty high to begin with. Then they get into the feed garbage can, yep not just a fluke they are here with their muddy little footprints to prove it! So I have been really sick, went to the doctors and have a bad sinus infection, great! I am supposed to be resting and staying out of the smoke with is at very unhealthy levels right now. I look out the window yesterday about 5 and there is a skunk at the coop, war chicken(rooster) has sounded the alarm. I scrambled for the gun and ammo. To make it safe its both locked in separate locations so it doesn't make for a quick shot. By the time I was ready the skunk had moved to the tall grass on the ditch bank. I had to climb a pole fence that crosses the ditch to get him shot, and thats when I found the motherload of all raccoon sign. Guess they like to discuss their nightly conquests while taking a dump on the lower rail! Crap this means I need to get the ducks secure asap. I tried just putting them in with the chickens but the drake and rooster weren't going to get along so it meant I had to make the duck house secure enough to lock them at night....So I spent all evening doing my best to give a secure location for them. Then I went to bed and prayed. Thank God no chickens or ducks were harmed last night but they wreaked havoc on the coop. Broke my solar panel for my light, tried pulling apart the seams of the chickenwire which luckily is well enforced but will be getting added reinforcement. Then they took my garbage can of shavings and rolled it around the yard, moved large rocks from the base of the coop and duck house so they could dig, slid down between the chicken and duck coop and nearly dug through to the ducks which where totally terrified this morning. Oh and not to mention **** all over everything! I would like to use a have a heart trap to catch and then eliminate them because we have cats, but cats will also go in the trap and a raccoon will go in after them, then you can image trapped cat and raccoon and cat together not ending well. So I might just be sitting up with my gun and a spotlight tonight. I am not sleeping well anyhow so it shouldn't be a problem right? And again instead of resting I will be working hard and reinforcing everything. I have days that I am not sure it's all worth it....ughhhh!
The crap is all along this rail and underneath it.
The blue pallet is on the inside of the pen, the raccoon slipped between the chicken house and the metal panel and did the digging from the outside reaching through.
The crap is all along this rail and underneath it.
The blue pallet is on the inside of the pen, the raccoon slipped between the chicken house and the metal panel and did the digging from the outside reaching through.
