I've got a coon! Help please!

[Cayuga momma]

I agree with anything I catch I kill. (Except cats). Why make it someone elses problem, that just seems like the wrong thing to do.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Chelsa, check with your DNR and ask.
You may feel better relocating animals illegally, but it's not doing them any favors. Here in Michigan, we can relocate either on our own property, or on private land within our county, with landowner permission. Find out what's okay in your state, and do what's right.
Recommending that people break laws here, or anywhere online, isn't the best thing to do either.
Often, the relocated critter will make it home again, and then is happy to kill more chickens, and never get into another live trap.
Spreading diseases like rabies and canine distemper, both not rare in raccoons, is not a good thing either.
Another rant over.
Mary

Its legal here to relocate as I stated previous. I also did not recommend that anyone break laws.. I suggested that they check with their local laws also previously. If you read the above comments you would see that

 

[stillthdiva]

We have had our time with raccoons and unfortunately you must act quickly and decisively because they do not work alone and when your chickens are no longer interesting, they will go after your other pets. We had one of our ranch cats killed by a raccoon while trying to protect her kittens. I would much rather shoot a raccoon, than bury a pet, especially a nursing momma. I am not fond of guns especially since my husband shot me accidentally while trying to shoot the possum under the chicken coop (that's a whole different thread)..lol, however nothing resolves the predator problem better than a gun. When you trap and catch, now what? Releasing it will only bring it back to either you or your neighbor. The raccoon has friends that you just have not seen as yet. The sound of the gun will send the rest of them packing because they are very smart and understand gunshots. The only thing to quickly resolve potential chicken and other pet casualties is to shoot. Good luck

 

[Stepnout]

These is my comments on another thread in BYC's. Raccoons will kill everything in the coop in one night! it's what they do. I hate them.
MY POST:
I will be investing in a 1200 FPS pellet rifle. Over the years I have lost pigeons and quail to raccoons. They are very strong and work in groups. They will pry anything and everything, they will chew through wood, dig under fences pull hardware cloth and in the end they will kill everything you have. It is amazing what they can get into. Yes we have to do everything we can to keep them out and when you think you have done enough look again. Be proactive after a few years if the wood on your coop or doors gets a little weak Change it out ASAP.
I hate them
Stepnout

 

[skeeterhawk1960]

In my experience, if a coon ever starts, it don`t stop until you stop it.
I don`t have that problem, even though there are lots of coons here. I keep a hound pup turned loose at night. I have an older coon dog, if I do have that problem...LOL

 

[Birdsong 82]

Wasn’t able to read every post but yes raccoons are a huge problem and they will always come back. We have a huge problem with them here I have actually gotten my run to where I have busted them crawling around it and can not at all get into it. But if you years ago I unfortunately learned the hard way how crafty they can be after I thought I had my run amazingly safe. Spent lots of time making it even safer. I am somewhat lucky in the fact that at night if anything starts messing with something outside. If something even touches a piece of fence my inside dogs somehow hear it and let us know. I will not send them out there because they’re not as tough as they sound but I can at least go out there and scare him off. But yes as others have said to do constant checks and if anything even looks halfway weak coverage immediately Patch it make it safe. I don’t even leave the smallest opening ever. Unfortunately I did have to execute a raccoon he was threatening me and my own shed but coons are a tough situation