I'm so tired of raccoons this year!

[The Menagerie]

I had to put one of my young hens down this evening. She'd been raked pretty badly by a coon about a week ago and I thought I had her on the mend and ready to be back with the rest of my birds, but when I put her back out this evening I realized that while the wounds had healed the damage was just too great and to keep her alive was simply an inhumane thing to do This is the fourth young hen coons have killed this year! I have one other whose left wing has lost quite a few feathers because she slept too close to my coop wall and a coon got it's arm in and raked it through her feathers; I'm really glad it didn't break her wing or tear any of her flesh.
I know they have to eat too, but it's really bad this year. I've never lost birds like this before!

 

[518chicks]

I just had a raccoon break into our coop also! Hurt one of my hens face, my rooster did tear up the raccoon so hopefully it won't come back. I suggest putting lights around where you keep them at night , that's kept them away from my hens.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

First line of defense is make sure that the coop is secure, and that predators cannot gain access at night when the birds are roosting and most vulnerable.