- Apr 13, 2018
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I think the title says it all, but let's walk through it together.... shall we...
A "Dog Proof" trap aka "DP" is a cylinder style trap as shown below, they're regarded as safer to use in areas where dogs roam, and are effective for raccoons and opossums.
In this setup we'll use wire and sometimes use a concrete block as an anchor, but we'll use a tree or post when available...
So let's get to the cost, as this seems important to some...
I've been told by someone that knows it all that these traps can be purchased for $10 each, and I've found 14 gauge "tie wire" for about $7 for 350 ft...
Now, you don't need that much wire for this obviously, but this stuff is handy to have around.... but let's round that number up to $10 to make the math easy, and just in case the tax man needs a little extra for his pockets...
Let's say that you'll use 5 ft for each trap... that's a bit excessive, but again it makes the math easy ...
So 350/5 = 70 pieces of wire
So then $10 divided by 70 pieces of wire = 15 cents per length of wire (rounding up a bit) , unless I've done my cipherin' wrong.... which happens
So now we're at $10.15 per trap set...
When there is a tree, fence post or slow moving family member around it's best just to wire the trap to that object. You'd do so by running one end of a length of wire through the swivel on the end of the chain and twisting it up several times, and then wrapping the other end around the tree or post and twisting it up tight.
But just for the sake of having our bases covered, let's say we have nothing to anchor the trap to...so we'll use a concrete block.... and we'll figure this block cost us $1.35
So now we have:
$10 for the trap
$0.15 for the length of wire
$1.35 for the concrete block
Now we're sitting at $11.50 for a trap set if we have to anchor to a concrete block, or just $10.15 if we wire off to a tree or Uncle Dave taking a nap
So now that we have all that important arithmetic out of the way, let's walk through the setup...
This is what we spent our sawbuck on:
Generally speaking you don't have to place the traps right next to your coop to catch a raccoon or possum and in fact it's actually preferable to place your trap away from the coop, so that the bait or lure draws critters away...so typically we can find a tree... but in the event that none exists... we just wrap our wire around the block and twist it tight, then we run the other end to the swivel on the end of the trap chain and twist it up real nice.
It'll look something like this... pretty fancy, huh?
Now you just bait your trap with .... well about anything you want really... marshmallows, dry cat food, jelly beans, popcorn, skittles, Mike and Ikes, raisins, grapes, JuJu beans... what ever you find under the couch cushion really
So you might be asking yourself: "Self, do you think that concrete block and wire will work?"
Well, just so I wasn't spinning yarns about trap anchors I never used, I tried it last night, to catch whatever was attempting to dig into my coop/run, and by golly it done alright. I put a rock on top for good measure because I had a pile of rocks right there, but it isn't really needed.
So there you go an easy, no nonsense, responsible, chicken eater catching system for less than $12.00.... Heck you can probably come in with a lower price if you try
Good luck to all, and may your chickens live 100 moons!
A "Dog Proof" trap aka "DP" is a cylinder style trap as shown below, they're regarded as safer to use in areas where dogs roam, and are effective for raccoons and opossums.
In this setup we'll use wire and sometimes use a concrete block as an anchor, but we'll use a tree or post when available...
So let's get to the cost, as this seems important to some...
I've been told by someone that knows it all that these traps can be purchased for $10 each, and I've found 14 gauge "tie wire" for about $7 for 350 ft...
Now, you don't need that much wire for this obviously, but this stuff is handy to have around.... but let's round that number up to $10 to make the math easy, and just in case the tax man needs a little extra for his pockets...
Let's say that you'll use 5 ft for each trap... that's a bit excessive, but again it makes the math easy ...
So 350/5 = 70 pieces of wire
So then $10 divided by 70 pieces of wire = 15 cents per length of wire (rounding up a bit) , unless I've done my cipherin' wrong.... which happens
So now we're at $10.15 per trap set...
When there is a tree, fence post or slow moving family member around it's best just to wire the trap to that object. You'd do so by running one end of a length of wire through the swivel on the end of the chain and twisting it up several times, and then wrapping the other end around the tree or post and twisting it up tight.
But just for the sake of having our bases covered, let's say we have nothing to anchor the trap to...so we'll use a concrete block.... and we'll figure this block cost us $1.35
So now we have:
$10 for the trap
$0.15 for the length of wire
$1.35 for the concrete block
Now we're sitting at $11.50 for a trap set if we have to anchor to a concrete block, or just $10.15 if we wire off to a tree or Uncle Dave taking a nap
So now that we have all that important arithmetic out of the way, let's walk through the setup...
This is what we spent our sawbuck on:
Generally speaking you don't have to place the traps right next to your coop to catch a raccoon or possum and in fact it's actually preferable to place your trap away from the coop, so that the bait or lure draws critters away...so typically we can find a tree... but in the event that none exists... we just wrap our wire around the block and twist it tight, then we run the other end to the swivel on the end of the trap chain and twist it up real nice.
It'll look something like this... pretty fancy, huh?
Now you just bait your trap with .... well about anything you want really... marshmallows, dry cat food, jelly beans, popcorn, skittles, Mike and Ikes, raisins, grapes, JuJu beans... what ever you find under the couch cushion really
So you might be asking yourself: "Self, do you think that concrete block and wire will work?"
Well, just so I wasn't spinning yarns about trap anchors I never used, I tried it last night, to catch whatever was attempting to dig into my coop/run, and by golly it done alright. I put a rock on top for good measure because I had a pile of rocks right there, but it isn't really needed.
So there you go an easy, no nonsense, responsible, chicken eater catching system for less than $12.00.... Heck you can probably come in with a lower price if you try
Good luck to all, and may your chickens live 100 moons!
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