Orphan raccoon, anyone else raise one with chickens?

[neo71665]

Regardless of how cute this baby coon is it will not hesitate to kill the chickens its playing with today .Once it matures and becomes an adult you'll be amazed at how different it acts.

100%

Thank you, I very much appreciate your reply! I am following a notable wildlife rehab guide, but because the coon we have was solo, the protocol is different. Like, mom is not supposed to engage in play, because mom is too busy finding food... Yet, youngsters need to engage in play, because play provides the necessary skills for hunting and self-defense in the future.

So, because this little lady was a solo rescue (no other kits, which my neighbour confirmed), I have to play the role of not only mother, but sibling as well.

She enjoys spending time with the chickens, and I allow her to run free with them most afternoons. She's generally mellow, but when her play drive kicks in, she'll try to chase one, just like the dogs, but never catches or hurts anyone. Her favourite place not nap in the afternoon is in the minibarn, and no ruffled feathers there

There are ways to wildlife rehab a solo animal and it still gets the interaction it needs without it becoming imprinted on humans. It's not easy. Your coon sounds like it's too late and already imprinted on you and your dogs. Still telling ya release is pointless now unless you find somebody really experienced at rehab. Way more than I am.
Allowing that coon around any chicken is only a ticking time bomb. It's only a matter of time before she does what millions of years of mother nature tells it to do.

 

[Gizabelle]

They will absolutely steal your heart as babies... then turn into gremlins when hormones kick in.
If its not legal to keep her in your state, you'll find it nearly impossible to find a vet to sterilize her (which, as mentioned, really is of the utmost importance if you intend to keep her)
If that alone is impossible, I'd start contacting rehabbers. Find one you are sure you can trust before giving any personal info. Even if she cannot be released into the wild, she may be able to be used for education somewhere since she is so is tame, and that would give her a long comfortable life.
If you do nothing though, she will break your heart, either by eventually killing birds or getting herself killed through lack of experience.

Really hope you can find a good solution

 

[LaFleche]

when it's time for her to go wild... But I have a plan for that: an informational leaflet to any neighbours in the vicinity, and dying her ear tips with henna so she can be distinguished from the truly wild population.

I doubt that dyed ear tips will make any difference to your neighbours when they find her destroying their properties or killing their chickens, cats or other pets like bunnies etc.

We have a widowed neighbour that houses raccoons on purpose in her barn and even allows them to live in the attic of her house for years already. She feeds them etc., but the other day even she complained about the stinking mess and destruction they are creating.

They are extremely skilled with their hands, and in case they find themselves with locks that they are unable to open, they will just climb up to the roof and lift the shingles to enter, ripping apart the insulation etc. They even enter a house by the chimney.

I hope you have a good insurance, as you would be liable for all the damage she will cause.

 

[Gizabelle]

Another thing you should know if you can/plan to keep her...
If you can get a vet to see her, they will vaccinate and that will protect her from disease, but there is no LEGALLY approved rabies vaccine for raccoons. That means that if she ever bites someone (even a nip in play) if the bite is reported, she will be confiscated, euthanized, and tested for rabies. Vaccine records from your vet count for nothing on that front.

 

[neo71665]

Another thing you should know if you can/plan to keep her...
If you can get a vet to see her, they will vaccinate and that will protect her from disease, but there is no LEGALLY approved rabies vaccine for raccoons. That means that if she ever bites someone (even a nip in play) if the bite is reported, she will be confiscated, euthanized, and tested for rabies. Vaccine records from your vet count for nothing on that front.

Good point I forgot about that.

 

[centrarchid]

I raised them multiple times as a kid with free-range chickens. The raccoons where not confined either. I was not successful at dulling the raccoons' interest in eating chickens. The raccoons quickly learned they could not readily catch chickens during the day, but would actively go after them in the night. Broody hens were hard to protect, and ground roosting birds were even more difficult. What was a positive was the raccoons demonstrated there approaches as I watched allowing me some insight into how to stop their wild kin. They are stronger than you think and use their heads like a wedge when trying to force their way in. Hunting the chickens also appears fun to them.

 

[McChooky]

Until you have built an enclosed predator proof coop and run around your chickens you might not want to show the raccoon where they sleep and eat.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

This is an extremely interesting thread that is made even more informative by @neo71665 and @centrarchid , who have kept raccoons as pets. @Phoenixxx , hard as it is to hear, i hope you heed what they are telling you re the inherent nature of raccoons.

I had a docile pet oppossum as a kid. Now that i have chickens, i feel kinda bad for telling my lgd's "good dog" when they kill the random possum that wanders up hoping for a chicken dinner. But i would feel much worse if those wild possums killed my chickens. Opossums and raccoons are both chicken killers, and if i currently had a pet opposum, i wouldnt expect my dogs to accept my "pet possum", yet kill the wild ones. Yes dogs are very smart, but i still think it would be potentially confusing and unfair to my lgd's.

On that note, I think you are setting your Kuvasz up for a future very unfair decision too. Does she allow the "family raccoon" to attack the chickens, or does she attack the raccoon? After reading the input from pet raccoon experts here, i see tragedy & heartbreak in your future if you follow your current plan of raising the raccoon to maturity, then releasing her in your area. I understand its not what you hoped to hear, & i have no doubt she is currently adorable and no threat. But two very knowledgeable "pet raccoon" experts have spoken, & they are both saying unequivocally that her temperment will soon change.

 

[Folly's place]

The pet baby raccoon that arrived at the vet clinic, years ago, did have rabies, and resulted in over thirty people getting the vaccine series, and a couple of puppies being euthanized because of exposure to this poor critter.
Raccoons also can get canine distemper, and carry a roundworm that can actually cause severe illness in humans.
Cute, for now, but won't end well, for her or for you. There are good reasons why making them pets is illegal!
Mary

 

[Huntmaster]

The poor little racoon has no idea how to fend for itself on its own it is to pampered will never survive, But I'm sure it probably wont live long enough to starve to death because it is now imprinted on dogs and humans, and sooner than later it will meet one that isn't its friend. Sorry to say but you are setting that poor thing up for suffering and deadly failure.