I need some opinions, please

[off-grid hen]

Ugh. We had gotten rid of most of the chipmunks and squirrels here, and then BAM! Suddenly dozens of them. We were standing around the yard saturday afternoon, when my husband saw a raccoon climb down from a tree to grab a foraging chicken at 8:00 in the am. By the time we got the gun, it was gone. We set the trap out, but we didn't catch it. Time to set out a fresh bag of garbage and wait in the bushes at 11:00pm. Good luck!

 

[CMV]

Ugh. We had gotten rid of most of the chipmunks and squirrels here, and then BAM! Suddenly dozens of them. We were standing around the yard saturday afternoon, when my husband saw a raccoon climb down from a tree to grab a foraging chicken at 8:00 in the am. By the time we got the gun, it was gone. We set the trap out, but we didn't catch it. Time to set out a fresh bag of garbage and wait in the bushes at 11:00pm. Good luck!

You, too. I hope you take care of your problem.

 

[centrarchid]

Ugh. We had gotten rid of most of the chipmunks and squirrels here, and then BAM! Suddenly dozens of them. We were standing around the yard saturday afternoon, when my husband saw a raccoon climb down from a tree to grab a foraging chicken at 8:00 in the am. By the time we got the gun, it was gone. We set the trap out, but we didn't catch it. Time to set out a fresh bag of garbage and wait in the bushes at 11:00pm. Good luck!

If a hen is slow enough to be taken by a raccoon during daylight, then something is already seriously wrong with hen and loss was already realized before con came down.

 

[hillbilly123]

Kill it, don't tell your hubby, act like he was right and it left on its own.

 

[wolfpak]

Coons are a menace, spreading filth & diseases!
Live trap, bait with marshmallows - SSS, as advised!!!

 

[joan1708]

CMV - has the coon come back yet?

 

[CMV]

CMV - has the coon come back yet?

Every night. It has routinely started to use our driveway as its route. We have a 275 foot driveway with an alarm at the top to alert us to anyone coming. It has gone off every night multiple times, which then causes the dogs to bark, which then wakes everyone in the house. My husband is reconsidering his stance on "no trapping the raccoon" since he got no sleep last night or the night before or the night before that. I predict that by the end of the 7 days he is going to be begging me to trap that pest.

I did mention that I am going to be taking your recommendation and crating the bucket traps once I resume. We both think that is an excellent idea.

 

[off-grid hen]

 If a hen is slow enough to be taken by a raccoon during daylight, then something is already seriously wrong with hen and loss was already realized before con came down.

I wasn't very clear at all. (oops). The coon tried to grab a hen but didn't. When the hens saw the coon climbing down the tree, they scattered. my husband heard the commotion, grabbed the gun, and the coon ran off. He couldn't find it.

Part of our issue is that we're in the middle of over 200 acres of undeveloped forest. We keep beating back the underbrush that provides cover for sneaky things. I hadnt realized that the coons were sleeping in the tall pines during the day. Our clearing near the house is a few acres. But there are tall pines, oaks, and old maples. The coop is in a stand of oaks to provide shade in the summer and light in the winter when the leaves shed. We are working on clearing the underbrush near the back of the run. The girls mostly forage up by our house, but occasionally wander off for juicy bugs in the leaf litter. No unsupervised foraging until we get this gray fox though. THAT is my major issue right now.

My point was more to say that if a coon is tempted, it will come out during the day for a snack. They aren't just a night worry.

 

[centrarchid]

I wasn't very clear at all. (oops). The coon tried to grab a hen but didn't. When the hens saw the coon climbing down the tree, they scattered. my husband heard the commotion, grabbed the gun, and the coon ran off. He couldn't find it.
Part of our issue is that we're in the middle of over 200 acres of undeveloped forest. We keep beating back the underbrush that provides cover for sneaky things. I hadnt realized that the coons were sleeping in the tall pines during the day. Our clearing near the house is a few acres. But there are tall pines, oaks, and old maples. The coop is in a stand of oaks to provide shade in the summer and light in the winter when the leaves shed. We are working on clearing the underbrush near the back of the run. The girls mostly forage up by our house, but occasionally wander off for juicy bugs in the leaf litter. No unsupervised foraging until we get this gray fox though. THAT is my major issue right now.
My point was more to say that if a coon is tempted, it will come out during the day for a snack. They aren't just a night worry.

Check post #4 of following threads. Accounts fairly accurate.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672331/raccoon-attack-how-fast#post_9086350

 

[off-grid hen]

I read your post. I know he (or she) was probably just sleeping and smelled something tasty, so came down to check it out. After all, if I woke up in the middle of the night and smelled pizza under the bed, I'd definitely have a look!