Well, in 6 days I've lost 3 birds. The first vanished without a trace. The second involved some blood, and a trail of feathers. The third had several blood spots, multiple feather piles, and something resembling a carcass. Thanks to the recent snow and ice, I also have raccoon tracks. I have to get this thing gone before I move our brooder batch outside to the pen. A new pen is also being built, taking predators into account.
Alright then, here's the setup on the war against raccoon terror. I went to Atwoods and bought a Havahart trap, which also came with a smaller free bonus trap. 2 cans of sardines, 2 zip ties, and a pair of dikes round out the arsenal.

The sardines were zip tied to the traps behind the trigger. Excess tie was cut off.

The small trap was placed next to the area where the tracks were. Once on the ground, the sardines were opened halfway, with the lid toward the rear of the trap. I figured this would prevent anything from reaching in through the wire and stealing sardines.

The larger trap was set next to the burn barrel, a place where feathers and tracks were seen.

The traps were placed at duskish, and left to catch a raccoon-qaeda. This morning both traps were still set, maybe a sardine and a half was missing, and the smaller trap was upside down. Well, fudge. This is what I have to show for night one.

Tonight I'm gonna place one next to the chicken tractor and the other next to the fence where it apparently comes through. Hopefully, I'll wake up to a caught coon.
Alright then, here's the setup on the war against raccoon terror. I went to Atwoods and bought a Havahart trap, which also came with a smaller free bonus trap. 2 cans of sardines, 2 zip ties, and a pair of dikes round out the arsenal.
The sardines were zip tied to the traps behind the trigger. Excess tie was cut off.
The small trap was placed next to the area where the tracks were. Once on the ground, the sardines were opened halfway, with the lid toward the rear of the trap. I figured this would prevent anything from reaching in through the wire and stealing sardines.
The larger trap was set next to the burn barrel, a place where feathers and tracks were seen.
The traps were placed at duskish, and left to catch a raccoon-qaeda. This morning both traps were still set, maybe a sardine and a half was missing, and the smaller trap was upside down. Well, fudge. This is what I have to show for night one.
Tonight I'm gonna place one next to the chicken tractor and the other next to the fence where it apparently comes through. Hopefully, I'll wake up to a caught coon.