If I can't catch/kill the racoon - how long until I can let the flock back out?

[BennieAnTheJets]

So a nasty little racoon ripped the head off of Dori, one of our sweet little hens...

That was about 2 weeks ago - have left the dogs out since then and they have alarmed us to the racoon a few nights and chased it around - Tuesday night I saw its beady little eyes up a tree outside our fence line

Dori was killed at 5 pm when it was still daylight (light until 6:15 or so)

Wondering how long I need to keep the poor birds in if I can't trap and kill the racoon?

Any opinions?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

You’ll have to get rid of the raccoon. They are persistent and will stick around and try to get in the coop. Use cat food in a live trap and set it by the coop and cover it with brush.

 

[MROO]

So a nasty little racoon ripped the head off of Dori, one of our sweet little hens...

That was about 2 weeks ago - have left the dogs out since then and they have alarmed us to the racoon a few nights and chased it around - Tuesday night I saw its beady little eyes up a tree outside our fence line

Dori was killed at 5 pm when it was still daylight (light until 6:15 or so)

Wondering how long I need to keep the poor birds in if I can't trap and kill the racoon?

Any opinions?

Unfortunately ... forever ... that coon has discovered the chicken-to-go restaurant and will keep returning at odd hours, hoping to catch the "Open" sign out! Once you catch that one, be assured that there's another waiting its' turn. Any area that supports a single coon has more there, as well. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it looks like the time has come to build/extend and cover your run.

 

[MillersFarm]

x2

Had a horrible raccoon problem a couple of years ago.. Once they've found a food source they're going to stick around for quite a bit. Ended up catch 7 raccoons in 3 nights. Your best bet is to trap and shoot 'em

 

[MillersFarm]

Live-trapping raccoons can be a bit tricky, I'd suggest using a dog-proof duke(Raccoon) trap. I like to use 3 musketeers bars as bait, they love the shiny wrappers and the actual candy..

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Live-trapping raccoons can be a bit tricky, I'd suggest using a dog-proof duke(Raccoon) trap. I like to use 3 musketeers bars as bait, they love the shiny wrappers and the actual candy..

I’ll never use one of those again after I caught a skunk
Marshmellows are a favorite around here.

 

[centrarchid]

Can you make where your chickens more difficult for the raccoon to access?

Additional approaches not including trapping is contain dogs for release so they can get jump raccoon (assumes dogs know what you are trying to do) or you can put out a perimeter of hotwire.

The haveaheart and foothold (dog proof) traps can also be used.

I do all the above and change things up if raccoon figures things out. In most instances the dogs actually catch the raccoon(s) themselves when it fails to find a refuge. One of the recent raccoons I shot out of tree it was hiding on, but that was an exception these days.

 

[R2elk]

Live-trapping raccoons can be a bit tricky, I'd suggest using a dog-proof duke(Raccoon) trap. I like to use 3 musketeers bars as bait, they love the shiny wrappers and the actual candy..

I just dropped mini marshmallows in it. @N F C said that her husband did very well using grape jelly.

 

[MandaH]

Raccoons usually sleep during the day, the problem is, that they start coming back out just before dusk which might be prior to the girls returning to the coop for the night. You could let them out and then choose a time well before dusk to encourage them to go back by using some chicken food. Me, I would probably keep them locked up for a bit and make sure I protect my girls a little extra for a week or two first.

 

[centrarchid]

The raccoon is chasing the chickens down in the daylight?