I'm sick of the coons!!!

[KansasKid]

i have lost, 6 broilers, 2 mutt roosters, a mallard drake, and my hen button quail all some stupid coons!! I have set foot hold traps up and caught 1.3 of them i say this because i have caught one and then caught another one that chewed of its own foot. i caught these two by hanging food (chicken legs, ham, etc.) above the traps. Lately i haven't caught anything, and so i need some ideas on how to get rid of them.

 

[welasharon]

You won't be able to get rid of all of them and even if you did some other predator would fill the void. You need to focus your energy on building as predator proof an area for them as possible. How are they getting to them?

 

[psimons2004]

I'm sick of foxes! We can't shot them in our yard, haven't found a trap that works yet either... I think this weekends project is a perimeter double fence with a 'buffer zone'. We'll see if it works. So much for free range poultry I guess...

 

[Opa]

I caught a lot of coons using live traps until all of the dumber one were caught. I went through a period of finding the trap untripped and the bait gone. I have since started using Duke dog proof coon traps and that ended the bait stealing.

 

[darkmatter]

Yeah, I gave up on free range also and built a large Chicken Run that is also attached to my Garden (shares a fence) and let the chickens into the garden in the fall to glean. The Run itself has two mature Illinois everbearing mulberry trees, plus apples and persimmons to extend the free food season. The Run is slowly becoming a miniature forest ecosystem as intended. I still have some persistent predators, but keep the trap going 24/7/365.

 

[sonally]

Quote:
OMG! If you can't shoot them.... i assume you are in a suburb.... can you call animal control? My chicks are not outside yet.... but we have seen coons, fishercats, skunks, hawks and fox (not to mention moose and bear! ) in our suburban neighborhood.. We want to free range when I am home.... our coop-run plans.... Win Powerball and buy enough Hardware cloth to cover the acre yard!!! Dang, that stuff is putting us way over budget!!!! ~Ally
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-k-s-chikin-channel

 

[sonally]

Husband just read these posts.... he says "electrify!" Our coop/run is small so prolly not as expensive as it would be for some. Zap those buggers!

~Ally

 

[BellevueOmlet]

Fry em! The deserve the death penalty after that

 

[psimons2004]

Quote:
OMG! If you can't shoot them.... i assume you are in a suburb.... can you call animal control? My chicks are not outside yet.... but we have seen coons, fishercats, skunks, hawks and fox (not to mention moose and bear! ) in our suburban neighborhood.. We want to free range when I am home.... our coop-run plans.... Win Powerball and buy enough Hardware cloth to cover the acre yard!!! Dang, that stuff is putting us way over budget!!!! ~Ally
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-k-s-chikin-channel

Haha - Powerball would be nice - Oh the chicken run I would have then!!! We are out of the city limits but not by much and I am scared I'll hit the neighbors house or worse one of my chickens aiming at the stupid fox... And animal control will not step in b/c they are predators not an endangered or protected speices. I asked yesterday! Also I have lovely stupid neighbors that feed the fox kits. (14 they bragged this year!). Not making my job any easier...

 

[justsomeguync]

Has anybody tried the Nite Guard lights?

http://www.niteguard.com/

I have fox, raccoons, bears, etc, around here, so I ordered one and stuck it right next to the pop door. The rest of the coop is pretty well secured, but anything motivated could get into the run. I lost two hens last year, during the day while free ranging, but I have not lost any others, none from the coop at night. Due to heat, and lack of problems, I leave the pop door open during the summer.

My niece is loosing a lot of chickens, I ordered her one the other day, I hope it helps.