Raccoon Apocalypse

[Pamela Janssen]

I am overrun with raccoons. In the past 9 months I have trapped or shot 17 coons. Is there something that can be used around the pen to repel raccoons? I have lost 7 chickens so far.

I’ve had a similar issue lately, as they are putting in a major highway a couple miles from me. I’ve never had raccoons before but I have trapped 9 in the last six months. I purchased solar security light alarms from Amazon. They’re not perfect but I haven’t had a raccoon in over two weeks since installing them. It’s hard, I wish you the best.

 

[Pamela Janssen]

BTW, I have another question for those doing a good job trapping coons.

Were you using live traps? If so, what baits?

If not, what other traps and methods?

Regarding live traps, anything that is a strong smell. I have used tuna with great success but honestly when I’m closing the coops up at night a lot of times I’ll just dump extra feed in the live trap and that works like a charm to. Recently I have moved to Solar security light alarms from Amazon (Picture attached). Haven’t seen a raccoon in over two weeks so they seem to be working.

 

[aart]

'Red Fern' is a classic, and I hated it! At least it's short...
Mary

Why did you hate it?

I can't believe I didn't read it, I probably did and didn't like it.

Just read it and liked it.
Might have started it before and was maybe turned off by the type of dog hunting violence.
Can't remember, but enjoyed it this time.

 

[Folly's place]

Two things come to mind, it's been a very long time since reading it.
Chopping down that ancient tree over a raccoon. And, the disemboweled dog and her 'treatment'. Awful!
Mary

 

[aart]

Two things come to mind, it's been a very long time since reading it.
Chopping down that ancient tree over a raccoon. And, the disemboweled dog and her 'treatment'. Awful!
Mary

Yeah, the tree thing was shocking.
But it was another era, so context.

 

[dsw7]

i have a small dairy farm that is surrounded by forest. i know all about raccoons. our corn silage is protected by 120ac volt electric fence, after the regular electric fencer didnt deter them. and that 120 volts only stops the first one, then the breaker trips and the rest of the coons use the dead one as a bridge. the coons are smart. ill give them that.
the best thing to slow them down is a pie plate with cola and fly bate. most coons die within 30 feet of it. and be relentless with setting that out for them. it sucks to take anythings life, but raccoons need to be managed- for rabies, so they dont poop in the cows feed and poison the cows, so they dont eat our chickens.... this last year we had to do away with 64 of them.
cola and fly bate