Once and for all Coon Deterrents PLEASE

[Howard E]

To the OP, there are a lot of thoughts and options on dealing with coons and other predators. I have them all, including coons in abundance, yet I've not lost any birds to them, nor do I try to trap and/or shoot em. I would, I just don't have to.

Secret to the coop/run is to use the correct type of wire and install it in the correct manner. Run wire needs to be sturdy......like 14 gauge 1" x 2" welded wire (no larger), securely stapled or secured to the posts and framing. Instead of burying the dig wire, lay it out flat on the ground as an anti-dig apron. 10X easier to install and far more effective.

Coons can reach through 1" x 2" wire, so that is not something you would use on a coop where they could reach through it to grab a bird. For that, go smaller, like 1/2" x 1" cage wire or 1/2" hardware cloth. All of it has to be securely fastened so they can't rip it off.

With such a coop, you could place it inside a large cage with 100 coons surrounding it and it wouldn't matter. Birds would be safely tucked away inside, out of harm's way.

Then if you want to expand the run area to let them roam about in a yard area, install a zone of protection using electric fencing.

BTW, it is entirely possible that live, healthy coons would be out and about during the daylight hours this time of year. While normally nocturnal, with only 8 to 10 hours of darkness, they don't have the luxury of operating only at night.

 

[Rocky Rhodes]

I wish coons were all we had to worry about around here. I have had raccoons, possums, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, hawks, feral or abandoned dogs, and even black bears kill my chickens. The bears, for the most part, go for my feed barrels, but they have damaged my coop before. I live on the edge of a Wildlife Management area in the North Georgia Mountains, and we are surrounded by thousands of acres of National Forest. Once I got a good dog that barks at the least little sound, she pretty much ran off everything except the sneakiest of them. The raccoons, possums and an occasional fox are my main concerns now. Hawk... forget it, if they want your free range birds there's not much you can do.

 

[Howard E]

More info for the OP......as to what you are up against, and trapping options if you want to go that route (in addition to a secure coop).

Coons broke into my daughter's coop a year ago. In addition to helping secure it with better wire (they had chicken wire over a livestock panel)........we secured it by adding 1" x 2" welded wire over that..........we live trapped out a family of 4 coons that did the damage. Since then, no more break ins. The replacement killers that moved in to take their place continue to steal feed from the barn, but are not killing birds so they are being left alone for now. Live and let live, so to speak.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coons-believe-it.1170361/

 

[WVduckchick]

Anybody ever heard that tiny marshmallows are a great trap lure for coons?

 

[Howard E]

Yes....mini marshmallows and dry cat food are all you need. Either or both.

 

[Michael Propst]

Can you provide pictures of your current set up

 

[Fishkeeper]

C'mon, people, it's not an evil little monster. It's a raccoon, an animal driven by instincts that help it survive. It's not going "muahaha, I will slowly murder these birds and watch them suffer", it sees food. If you trap a raccoon or other pest animal and decide to kill it, do so humanely. It's in a little box, you have options about how to kill it. Drowning an animal should be illegal, it's cruel and there's no need for that.

Wet cat food in a can is excellent raccoon bait. You may also catch some actual cats.

It may be worth getting or borrowing a trail cam and mounting it near the coop to watch what comes by at night.

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Trap them and club them to death, shoot 'em with a bow and arrow, douse 'em with gas and burn 'em... etc. There are plenty of ways to kill a coon besides shooting it. If you live in a lib-tard state just get creative. Long pigsticker knives work pretty well. If you are the crafty type you could design your own coon killing device. Beaver kill- traps can work well. Leg traps and ball bats, a little messy but gets the job done. I don't relocate and release. I deal with predators once. Once and for all.

Did you forget dynamite, microwave oven, flame thrower, jackhammer, run over with a backhoe, food processor, hire a ninja?

But really, I hate the little f-ers too. SSS when possible!

 

[WVduckchick]

Night before last, I lost 7 one-month-old ducklings to the f-ers. They didn't kill them for the food, they didn't eat them. They just bit the heads and necks. I mean, with foxes, coyotes, etc, at least they are eating or taking food back to mates. These baztards just killed because they could. But I'll get them. SSS.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Anybody ever heard that tiny marshmallows are a great trap lure for coons?

Yes! Marshmallows have been the best lure to date for raccoons, skunks, rats and foxes for us. It lessens the chance that you'll have a cat set off one of your traps.

However, one of our bunnies has become a marshmallow junkie...lol. She gets extra affection this way as well.

I use both the tiny and medium-sized marshmallows. Rats can be bad for taking off with the little marshmallows. Using the medium sized mallows work better if rats are impeding your success.

Medium sized marshmallows also work very well for those trap-wise predators if they have been able to sneak the bait without getting caught. You set the marshmallows on the ground and place the trap on top of the marshmallows with a cinder block on the top of the trap. Hasn't failed yet.

For the mink, I've had to resort to using older sandwich meats. I'm not sure marshmallows work for them.