people with house chickens

[subhanalah]

Some people would set free elsewhere. If you watch Billy the Exterminator (which I do lol) the only thing that they don't take really far away and set free are mice and rats because they are pests. Raccoons/snakes/possums have a place in the ecosystem or something. However, generally, us country folk just trap and shoot. 

well, many would look down upon someone making a predator someone else's problem by relocation. Also, snakes that are moved very far from where they are taken, don't typically survive long.

 

[Nuggetirl]

Quote: That's interesting. I agree with the "someone else's problem" issue. I think the idea is taking it somewhere in its ideal habitat nowhere near people, but that's not exactly easy or feasible. I'd never heard that about snakes though. We don't trap snakes (or anything for that matter...) where I live.
Basically we dispatch anything on our property that isn't a rabbit or a killdeer. (cats are occasionally rehomed. feral cats are not allowed to stick around)

 

[Amykins]

Ever since a coon mauled my baby kitty I keep a baseball bat by the patio. They come up all the time and try to tear through our screen door. Took a few swings at one, didn't get him but sure made 'em think twice about coming around to our house again! I don't have a gun, though. Maybe one day.

 

[Crickett]

That's the next purchase on my to buy list! A good long gun /rifle. Doing research on it now and trying to save up the money. Should have it by the end of September, just in time for hunting season!

 

[Nuggetirl]

Just throwing it out there - for killing critters my dad always uses a shotgun. A rifle can ricochet dangerously if you're not careful. A shotgun (he generally uses the 410 but does have larger gauges) won't ricochet off of fences and can safely be shot in between our barn and house.

 

[PBGGG]

I might just trap it, I'll see what my parents say. For tonight ALL of the chickens are going into their secure coops and the ducks are going in the locked garage.

 

[Sylvester017]

Well, right now I am really fired up about this, and Im sure once the time comes to really kill it if we do, we'll probably do something different. But now I just wanna shoot it.

It's catch22. Darned if you do and darned if you don't. I believe in most ordinances you are allowed to kill for the safety of your property and chickens are considered property. My daughter's property is in a wooded area and you can bet her DH would shoot a charging Coyote or attacking Raccoon. We don't like to kill wildlife but if it's them or me I know what I'd do. Also they can be rabid - Long Beach, CA found a skunk last week that tested positive for rabies - their first case in the last 35 years.

A Buck headed right into my car at dusk when I had my headlights on. It rammed so hard into the front grill that the grill fell off. I reported the incident to the insurance company and wondered if there was some law about accidents involving wildlife. The police were not concerned and said wildlife is not considered someone's property so therefore there's no liability. That was 18 years ago so don't know what laws say today.

 

[calichicken]

Grrrr... a **** raccoon came in and took Butterbean last night. My dad said he found her this morning headless.. I don't want ANY of my chickens to die, but why is it always the Buff Orpingtons?

Oh sooooo sorry!! MEAN raccoon!!!!

 

[PBGGG]

It's catch22. Darned if you do and darned if you don't. I believe in most ordinances you are allowed to kill for the safety of your property and chickens are considered property. My daughter's property is in a wooded area and you can bet her DH would shoot a charging Coyote or attacking Raccoon. We don't like to kill wildlife but if it's them or me I know what I'd do. Also they can be rabid - Long Beach, CA found a skunk last week that tested positive for rabies - their first case in the last 35 years.

A Buck headed right into my car at dusk when I had my headlights on. It rammed so hard into the front grill that the grill fell off. I reported the incident to the insurance company and wondered if there was some law about accidents involving wildlife. The police were not concerned and said wildlife is not considered someone's property so therefore there's no liability. That was 18 years ago so don't know what laws say today.

I don't know the laws here about it, but I'll find out.

Oh sooooo sorry!! MEAN raccoon!!!!

Thanks! Hoping to get rid of it ASAP.

 

[calichicken]

I might just trap it, I'll see what my parents say. For tonight ALL of the chickens are going into their secure coops and the ducks are going in the locked garage.

Keeping your animals secure at night is a good plan, because the raccoon will come back now that it knows there are prey to get

We keep ours in at night because we live by the canyon and have raccoons and coyotes walking right down the center of our street...never wanna chance it!!!!