Loving chicken killed by a racoon

[Moonkat]

We were devastated to find the remnants of our eight month old dear chicken, Trio, on Monday morning.
We had raised Trio from just an egg.
I cant seem to get the image out of my mind. I have not slept much since I find myself up checking on the the remaining 4 chickens.
I am a first time chicken owner, and this was our first chicken to die, and hopefully last to be killed.
One of our children accidentally saw the scene as well. This is a very sad week for us, even though I understand it is a natural part of life.
We were very lucky that our other four were not killed even though they were also in the same dog run.
My question is about what steps have others taken to protect their chickens.
people have already confirmed my suspicions that this racoon is smart and strong.
Up to this point, I had been successful with trying to outwit it. It has been trying for several weeks.
This time, the racoon managed to push his body under tarps that were secured in several placeS with tight bungee cords. Then, it pushed up the latch, killed our Trio, drug Trio out, and etc...
I can’t understand how it fit into such a tight space, or even how he took Trio out while seeming to hold up the latch while also under the tarps!
Night one, We quickly put out a trap out but it escaped.
Night two, which was last night, it avoided entering a different trap that had been placed by a pest company. There is evidence that it did scratch at the trap though. We fortified the dog run for now but now it is hard for me to get into the cage in the morning!
My question: Any suggestion for the next steps to take to deal with the raccoon/raccoons ?
I would prefer to not poison it, but I am also very angry. Is poisoning justified? Some say to not concern myself with animal cruelty since raccoons carry diseases.
However, even though we loved Trio very much, I feel that poisoning is cruel. I would rather re locate it.
But we also can’t afford the $200 removal fee every time a raccoon is trapped .
Are raccoons more prone to continue to return once they have already attacked?
We are in the process of buying a 10x12 garden shed ( with floor and windows) to be their new home,
But that will not be delivered for several more weeks.
Thank you for any feedback.

 

[HappyDuckie]

If you catch a racoon in a trap, couldn't you dispatch it instead of having to pay for it to be relocated?

 

[bobbi-j]

Unfortunately, you now have a trap wise raccoon. He will be far harder to catch, if you can catch him at all. I would suggest an electric fence around the outside of your run. We have used it to keep them out of our sweet corn patch, and the chicken coop. If it can keep them out of the sweet corn, it will work for chickens.

 

[One Lucky Momma]

Ohhh, I am so sorry for your loss!

As you have now experienced, raccoons are some of the most clever predators out there. It sounds like you know how it happened, and so now can prevent that from happening again.

We have successfully used Havaheart live traps for raccoons, possums and groundhogs. Canned cat food is popular bait. I hate to kill anything, but these animals have terrorized our honeybees, and so we (DH) dispatch them with a .22 while still in the trap. Do you have that option? And do you have a city or country animal control you could consult?


As @bobbi-j advised above, electric fencing is very effective. A good time to add it might be as you do you new coop. Also, you might consider latches like this - and we have two of these on our coop door.

Good luck, and again, I‘m sorry you lost your sweet girl.

 

[Howard E]

If possible, post pictures of your entire setup. The tarp, run and coop. Almost certain what you have now is not predator proof. Might be able to make it so, but is not now. Posting pictures will help ID the problem areas and a way to recommend solutions.

If you don't want to trap and kill predators, best long term solution is a run and coop predators can't get into.

Found a dig attempt outside my coop a few weeks back. Setup a game camera......10 days later, only one predator visit and that was 3 coons......looked to be mom and 2 of this year's nearly grown kits still running with mom. They snooped around a bit......but quickly moved on. No doubt they have been around before......and failed every effort to get in. So no longer try. Now had I left the pop door open.......they might have gotten lucky.

So that is going on 5 years now and still no lost birds to predators. Tight coop at night and that can be you too.

 

[Howard E]

PS: If you now have a cage trap wise coon, 2nd best option as far as effectiveness........and also a step up in difficulty in setting and staking.....is a dog proof foot trap. You will still have to dispatch him.....same as with a cage. Unless you have experience handling live coons, forget any form of release from a foot trap. Dispatch only.

If you don't mind, please elaborate on the trap YOU used......the one with evidence of an escape. Brand and how you set it up......and how you think it escaped. Did it tear the cage up (assumption is it was a cage trap)

 

[Chickenman MAN]

I''ve never had this issue. BUT I'd get multiple traps, electric fencing.... pest control... and keep a shot gun or rifle on hand (at least a bb gun) if you have one

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

In some areas relocation is illegal, and yes, they will probably come back. Dispatch is the best option. Good luck. I know how you feel. A dead bird is a bad scene. Good luck

 

[Suke]

We put wet cat food in a used water bottle with holes in it to entice the raccoons into a “Have a heart” trap and successfully trap them. We removed 2 from our property this way. Sadly we lost our partridge Cochin and a buff Brahma chick before we finally got it to stay in the trap and not escape or get the food without setting the trap off.

 

[cmom]

Try chocolate ex-lax in a bucket. Once it eats the ex-lax it won't be back. They also like marshmallows. If you are using a live trap cover it with something and put the marshmallows inside. If you let it take the bait for a few nights then set the trap, That has worked for me but I also eliminate it because it will keep coming back especially now since it made a kill. Predator proofing is best. I have electric wires around my coops and pens and nothing so far has gotten past them. Good luck...