Please help! raccoon problem

[itapirlo]

Two days ago six of my chickens were killed, i have no idea what it was. Based on my research on this website i assume it was a raccoon. I found five bodies, three of which had no physical damage, one was missing the head, one was completely eaten except for the head, wings, and feet. The weird thing is that i found no feathers anywhere, could the animal have eaten the whole thing? Also, this happened during the day. Do raccoons "work" during the day?

Now I am afraid to let the rest of my chickens out, I am also sadden to force my chicken to live inside a cage for the rest of their lives. What should I do? How can I get rid of the raccoon?

Thanks a lot

 

[matthewschickens]

I am so sorry about your birds

Shoot him or trap him with a foot trap.
Also maybe look at a Poultry Net for your birds

Matthew

 

[Plain Old Dee]

That actually sounds more canid that coon. I've never known a coon to completely carry off a hen, though I suppose it's possible. It could also have been a coyote or fox. I would almost say coyote, since more than one is gone. You could have had a coon involved as well, since the missing head sounds very coonish. In one night, we were visited by a fox, bobcat, coon and possum. It amazes me that we didn't lose anything, but the henhouse isn't easy for them to get into, and the dogs were really making a racket. Since the henhouse is only a few feet from the dogs' yard, I imagine that the dogs made the predators too nervous to try anything...

 

[gsim]

The head missing sounds like a coon, but hard to believe they would leave another with head intact. Coyote, dog, or fox. Coons will strike during daytime. Pet dogs often leave entire carcass. Coyote and fox will carry carcass away.

I would first find out HOW they got to your flock and correct that. Next, I would buy the biggest havahart trap I could find and start trapping 24-7. Anything you catch is yours because it is on your property. Dispose of as you are lead to. Even if it is a dog, it should have been kept on owner's property .

 

[Fancie]

I had a coon drag a huge rouen duck away.... But it was a huge coon.

 

[Tony O]

I agree on everything you said EXCEPT "Coons will strike during daytime" Coons will do the most damage to your birds after dark, unless they're really, real hungry.

I had a coon here that learned that if he was going to get to actually eat his kill, he had to get away with them quickly before I got out the door with my coon killer. He got fast, he got good, he got fat, and I got him. Took about 6 weeks and a dozen young birds though. Long story as to how I did it. He was very trap smart.

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[gsim]

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As I said coons WILL strike during daytime. I know a man who saw two doing a tag team on his narrow run, one on each side, and they decapitated three before he could get outside to stop it. It was in broad daylight. They will hunt at night 100:1 but will still strike in daytime. I have seen several posts on BYC detailing daytime coon attacks.

 

[itapirlo]

Thank you all for your help.

I will get some traps and get whatever it was that killed my birds.