I need advice on dealing with a big fat murderous raccoon!

[Whoopinholler]

A live trap, some peanut butter, and a .22. Repeat as necessary, because I've never been plagued by just one!

 

[hellokitty2u]

we have problems with coons and possums, I have a live trap that I use add a little cat food and there in, You can either call animal services if you have that in your area, Or remove them to a remote area far away from your chickens. Has worked for us now 3 different times, Good luck!

 

[angelsmomma]

I too have had my time with the raccoons, the last one got one of my Arucana hens, the next night when he came back we shot him. But I know there will be more in my future. Now I have lost two Rhode Island red hens , no feathers left, no blood, nothing and two weeks apart, in the day time. It's like a alien got them? I'm thinking maybe a hawk or owl. It's just weird!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[franko]

Unfortunately it's us, and our chickens, against neighbors dogs, cats, and predators. After many years of raising chickens it has become very easy for me to eliminate the problem. In the evening, a little bate, a Q-Beam, a 22 and large trash bag, (predators go in the trash can). Dogs, get dumped down the road. Buzzards need to eat too. I found out many years ago I am not going out of my way or give any warnings anymore. Or ask, plead, beg, argue, fight, neighbors who are so inconsiderate and obviously don't care enough about their dogs or cats to keep them on their property, instead of mine. When I buy or hatch a chick, it's my responsibility and obligation to care enough about it to protect them any way I can. Keep it simple.

 

[Froghorn]

There is only one way. Got a gun?

 

[GoodyChickenShz]

We don't have coons around here but we've got millions of grounds squirrels. And though they don't kill the chickens, they do eat their food.....plenty! Plus, last year, they ate every single peach off my peach tree before they ripe, then proceeded to take a big bite out of every not-yet-ripe honeydew melon, then moved on to eating all my tomatoes while they were still green. I was devastated. But this year, after they ate 8 heads of my lettuce in one day, I cried to my husband to come home from work to shoot them. He told me to get the rifle and shoot them myself. Well, I am the type that doesn't want to hurt a fly. I love ALL animals. But this was war. I got out our .22 and in the next few hours shot me 4 squirrels. And get this, I didn't feel bad about it at all. Since then (about a month ago), between the .22 and our electronic rat traps, I've killed about 15 squirrels and they're still coming! I can't believe how many danged squirrels there are this year. I'm thinking about trying some version of the radiator fluid method except I don't think anchovies would work with squirrels. Also, I live in the desert so it's extremely dry around here and I'm thinking the radiator fluid would dry up pretty quickly. I wonder if it would still have killing power even after it dried up????

 

[prairiehen74369]

PLEASE.........DON'T USE POISON.........you could kill your own critters just too cruel a death the 22 or a trap read up on what ant-freeze does when it is eaten.

 

[GoodyChickenShz]

My property is totally fenced, so the neighbors cats and dogs can't get in. My coop is totally fenced on all sides, including the top, so the chickens can't get out. My only other pet besides the chickens is my cat and she lives inside. There are no other critters to kill except the birds and the squirrels. To keep the birds from getting killed, I would probably make some sort of tunnel-like trap out of PVC, similar to the rat zapper, with the radiator fluid bait inside. I've been using the rat zapper for more than 2 years and have never killed a bird with it. So, I think using poison responsibly is doable.

 

[Blessedchickens]

Quote:
Death by radiator fluid is very, very painful and can last for days. It eats their liver and makes them basically throw it up. Lot's of blood. I know this because a veterinarian thought that was what happened to my brother's dog. It was horrible to watch. You may not want to have a bunch of squirrels doing that in your yard. Cats can get over fences, no matter how tall. Usually by using trees. That is what mine does. You might check a TSC for something quicker if that is what you decide to do. Just a thought.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
Death by radiator fluid is very, very painful and can last for days. It eats their liver and makes them basically throw it up. Lot's of blood. I know this because a veterinarian thought that was what happened to my brother's dog. It was horrible to watch. You may not want to have a bunch of squirrels doing that in your yard. Cats can get over fences, no matter how tall. Usually by using trees. That is what mine does. You might check a TSC for something quicker if that is what you decide to do. Just a thought.

there are a number of things like this that are not legal like golden malrin and tylenol too if you are caught using a product not labeled for that use it is federal the farmers here use way too much fly bait and coke for coons that and the Acetaminophen in the cat food too