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

[R2elk]

The raccoon is chasing the chickens down in the daylight?

I might be wrong but I believe that the OP has guineas and yes the raccoon got one of them before dark..

 

[centrarchid]

I might be wrong but I believe that the OP has guineas and yes the raccoon got one of them before dark..

Either the raccoon is exceptionally agile or there is another predator involved. Can OP post picture of kill?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

Either the raccoon is exceptionally agile or there is another predator involved. Can OP post picture of kill?

I just looked up the predators in the OPs area and they do have weasels, monks, and fishers. Also coyotes and foxes.

 

[My1stChickens]

Raccoons travel in groups. The one that got your girl has 3-4 running buddies. You will either have to fortify your coop/pen or eradicate that group. But that won't stop the next group from finding the buffet. It's not just that there is a CHANCE they will return, it's FOR SURE. Don't believe me? Set up a game camera.

Raccoons came under my fence into the run, on a night that I was late to close the coop door since there was a hard rain and I did not want to get wet. They killed one and took another-- my fault, and it cost those two girls their lives. Now the entire pen is fortified with hardware cloth that is trenched into the ground and set in concrete. I set a trap that very night, by the spot in the fence they dug under. The very next morning there was a raccoon in the trap. The next night, I had not reset the trap but there were TWO raccoons sniffing around where that trap had been. So I set TWO traps, and used shrimp tails for bait. Got one in each trap. Now I KNOW they travel in more than a trio, but I did not catch anything for a bit, then it was a skunk. Then I was seeing armadillos on the game camera. I was still nervous looking for that 4th or even 5th raccoon, but did see one dead on the road less than a mile away. '
Do not underestimate the allure of a good meal. Once they find a free buffet they come back. Fix your coop/pen, and trap the raccoons.

 

[centrarchid]

Raccoons travel in groups. The one that got your girl has 3-4 running buddies. You will either have to fortify your coop/pen or eradicate that group. But that won't stop the next group from finding the buffet. It's not just that there is a CHANCE they will return, it's FOR SURE. Don't believe me? Set up a game camera.

Raccoons came under my fence into the run, on a night that I was late to close the coop door since there was a hard rain and I did not want to get wet. They killed one and took another-- my fault, and it cost those two girls their lives. Now the entire pen is fortified with hardware cloth that is trenched into the ground and set in concrete. I set a trap that very night, by the spot in the fence they dug under. The very next morning there was a raccoon in the trap. The next night, I had not reset the trap but there were TWO raccoons sniffing around where that trap had been. So I set TWO traps, and used shrimp tails for bait. Got one in each trap. Now I KNOW they travel in more than a trio, but I did not catch anything for a bit, then it was a skunk. Then I was seeing armadillos on the game camera. I was still nervous looking for that 4th or even 5th raccoon, but did see one dead on the road less than a mile away. '
Do not underestimate the allure of a good meal. Once they find a free buffet they come back. Fix your coop/pen, and trap the raccoons.

Sometimes they run in groups, sometimes not. No hard and fast rules.

 

[Chickassan]

If it is out in the day, is there any way you can kind of have a stakeout and shoot it?
It will be back, probably around the same time too.
I'd just sit quietly and wait on the jerk and dispatch it.
I had to have hub's do this a couple weeks ago, had a coon wandering in the day about to climb the tree I feed my flock supper under.
22. one shot, very quiet and one less brazen raccoon.

 

[centrarchid]

An additional possibility is Great-horned Owl and they do hunt before dark at times and they often take head first, but will come back later to consume more. I would be using the carcass as bait.

 

[BennieAnTheJets]

Wow - thanks so much for all your replies!

Yes, the racoon came in the daylight - and yes, we have Guineas only but same thing to the racoon, I would think.

Birds have been in for two weeks

I don't have a gun and can't trap and release in my state

we do have two livestock guardian dogs who were not out when the racoon got one bird and not out some nights - left them out 24/7 since the attack and they have sounded the alarm a few nights in a row - it has gotten quieter, but I saw a racoon last Tuesday eyeing us from outside the fence line

the kill was in some dense vines, close to the ground, so I don't think it was an owl - the dogs had chased a racoon up 50' into our huge oak tree in January and I think that was probably the one who killed the bird a few weeks later

the bird had the head missing and the neck was stretched out and stripped of skin - looks like the racoon dragged her into the vines and then bit/pulled her head off and left the body hung in the vines - poor girl

I am worried about the others but hope I don't have to keep them locked up for ever - we have a fortified coop and run but are pretty crowded with birds

I am trying to build an extension but don't have all the time I would like to have for it - as so many of us

also, the birds are with us for tick control and need to free range to do their thing and eat bugs - their love (!) being out and need their grasses and stuff - still, I am attached to them and would like to protect them from attacks, of course

 

[centrarchid]

Wow - thanks so much for all your replies!

Yes, the racoon came in the daylight - and yes, we have Guineas only but same thing to the racoon, I would think.

Birds have been in for two weeks

I don't have a gun and can't trap and release in my state

we do have two livestock guardian dogs who were not out when the racoon got one bird and not out some nights - left them out 24/7 since the attack and they have sounded the alarm a few nights in a row - it has gotten quieter, but I saw a racoon last Tuesday eyeing us from outside the fence line

the kill was in some dense vines, close to the ground, so I don't think it was an owl - the dogs had chased a racoon up 50' into our huge oak tree in January and I think that was probably the one who killed the bird a few weeks later

the bird had the head missing and the neck was stretched out and stripped of skin - looks like the racoon dragged her into the vines and then bit/pulled her head off and left the body hung in the vines - poor girl

I am worried about the others but hope I don't have to keep them locked up for ever - we have a fortified coop and run but are pretty crowded with birds

I am trying to build an extension but don't have all the time I would like to have for it - as so many of us

also, the birds are with us for tick control and need to free range to do their thing and eat bugs - their love (!) being out and need their grasses and stuff - still, I am attached to them and would like to protect them from attacks, of course

You have not ruled an owl out yet. Mine walk around on the ground a lot based on game camera recordings. Raccoons, during the day, are not good at running prey down unless it is something like chicks in high grass or deep snow. The typical chicken or guinea fowl is too evasive.

Just having dogs out running predators off is OK with me.

 

[llombardo]

If there is one there is more. Don't think there is not and give yourself a false sense of security. Last summer I had a whole family of raccoons and later in the summer they were joined by a family of oppossums.

My dogs come in and out at night in the summer. There were many nights of barking and lunging against the fence. They would try scooting down and the dog had them scooting back up. The baby raccoons were talking to the dogs--woke me up.