I need help identifying this predator--VERY GRAPHIC PICS!!

[swimmer]

I agree about not relocating the coon. But.... 1/6 of an acre is hardly a place to be shooting a .22. I'd say trap it, take it outside of the city, then shoot it.

 

[Titania]

Again, thanks. The pictures were hard to take; the whole experience was hard to take. I discovered them in the morning rush trying to get the children ready for preschool and then had to hide it from them. Since I was by myself with the children for a few days, I took the pictures with my phone to text my husband so I wouldn't have to bear the burden of the trauma by myself. Having somebody else see the "crime scene" made it less disturbing.
I asked my neighbor to build a coop (and pay him $400) when i first got the chicks. That way he would have six weeks. At six weeks it was still not completed so they went to the playhouse for 2 weeks. Then the massacre occurred. That was four weeks ago. <sigh> even the best laid plans...how does it go? I will finish the coop myself if I have to!

Anyway, Oklahoma City Division of Animal Welfare loans out traps for a week and will dispose of the animal when you return it, as long as it's not a skunk. I think that I will try this to get rid of the raccoons. What is good coon bait (besides my remaining chicken)? Eggs? The remains of a rotisserie chicken dinner?

 

[drumstick diva]

Coons love marshmellows but since he's been eating chickens, I'd give him either a carass or leftovers. What a horrible situation you had to face alone and hide from the kids.

The duct tape over the window made me think of something my son did when he was very young. He didn't want me coming into his room so he put scotch tape from door to frame. Boy was he astonished when I just walked right in.

Even hardware cloth over the window wouldn't have helped. That playhouse had too many large gaps to keep anything out. I would set more than one trap, it's probably a mother and young coons coming round.

 

[desertdarlene]

Sorry for your loss. What a sad thing to see, especially your little pet's eyes staring back at you like that. I know I would have lost it if I saw that, I was sad just looking at the photos. I hope you get a solution to your problem.

 

[loverOFchickens]

Some states will let you trap them on your own land for predator patrol even if it is off season. It is less labor intensive.

 

[mxpres]

I agree on the raccoon,get a livetrap ,borrow,or buy one,sardines make a great bait,trap the raccoon and drown it in a barrel of water,you will not have chickens unless you rid yourself of the problem,raccoons are beutiful animals and fun to watch in the wild,but they are ruthless,deadly killers,,sorry about your loss,I know its heartbreaking,,good luck with your chickens,,

 

[Lbrad7]

I agree that it was a coon that attacked your birds. You are going to have to trap it and if you are not big on the gun method, I agree with the other post that a trash can of water and drowning it might be your best choice. As for bait, I have never found anything that worked better than the remains of the dead birds.

Good luck to you.

 

[iluvsedward]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO! IT KILLED A MILE FLUER

!!!!!!! CURSE IT CURSE IT!!!!!!!

 

[jgconnor]

Pardon me for being so cold hearted. Catch it in a live trap and then drown the @#$%^&* in a trash can full of water!

I apologize to anyone that may be offended by that, but I have no mercy or compassion for anything that attacks me, my wife or my live stock. I guess 3 years of military and 32 years of heavy construction have made me a bit hard in places.

 

[iluvsedward]

Quote:
uh yeah maybe just a little........................................