Raccoon broke in but left the chickens? Or did it steal from another animal???

[hayley3]

I found a raccoon eating out of the chicken feeder with the chickens right there. So it was not interested in killing the chickens for some reason. Although it was a good size it was young, I think. Of course, I about died when I found it amongst my chickens.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Coons are pretty smart, and have good hands that can unlock latches. If it is a coon just eating eggs it might most likely graduate to eating chickens. I had one that did killed one of my best JG hens.
Set a havaheart trap, it was reaching in and taking the bait, that and dragging the trap out through the woods, setting it off and just stealing the bait. I put boards on the sides and a big rock on top and got the sucker.
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Oh wow what a smart coon!!!

Glad you got it!!! That’s what I was afraid of, that it might go after the chickens next, so I’ll be taking better measures to secure it for sure.

I found a raccoon eating out of the chicken feeder with the chickens right there. So it was not interested in killing the chickens for some reason. Although it was a good size it was young, I think. Of course, I about died when I found it amongst my chickens.

Oh wow!! I would have freaked!! We had a raccoon a while ago reaching through the fence at night eating all the chicken feed. A big, fat one too and not afraid of us at all!! So we put hardware cloth around that corner and it stopped him. Then I eventually moved the food inside the coop. Then the rats were getting it for a while but I think they stopped. But can’t win!! Hahah

 

[Foxinthehenhouse]

I would close the coop up completely at night. A weasel, snake etc. could go right thru the chain link fence and kill everyone in the coop at night. Count yourself lucky!

 

[Citytransplant]

A few years back I had 20 chicks. Went to feed them and there was only 19. I counted and counted, 19. Hmmm that seemed strange. Then I discover that the &#$%& racoon that took the first one rounded up all of the neighboring racoons and they had a party several days later and took all my chicks. It was a disgusting blood bath. Put a lock on the nest box. A racoon can think and plan and can work latches and heavy things.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I would close the coop up completely at night. A weasel, snake etc. could go right thru the chain link fence and kill everyone in the coop at night. Count yourself lucky!

Yeah I’m definitely going to be doing that! I did for the first couple days after but stopped (though still locking the nest box) but I’ll start again. Cause I know that I’m lucky nothing’s gotten them in there before.

Although that said, I have lost birds other ways, but all of my losses so far have been while they are free ranging except for a couple chicks I had in a different pen. I lost one to a hawk a few years ago and I just lost 3 yesterday to I think fox or coyotes.

So locking them up won’t totally prevent anything BUT definitely no need to put them at additional risk at night so I’ll start locking them in at night and put a lock on the back.

 

[ShrekDawg]

A few years back I had 20 chicks. Went to feed them and there was only 19. I counted and counted, 19. Hmmm that seemed strange. Then I discover that the &#$%& racoon that took the first one rounded up all of the neighboring racoons and they had a party several days later and took all my chicks. It was a disgusting blood bath. Put a lock on the nest box. A racoon can think and plan and can work latches and heavy things.

That’s terrible!!! So sorry!!! I’ve been putting a super heavy cinder block on the roof and so far that’s helped but I’ll put a real lock too. I lost a couple chicks to predators a couple month’s ago, think it was two different kinds, it’s always sad.

 

[mscallisto]

I've had mice break open eggs and eat them, but usually in the coop. I know we have raccoons because I couldn't tell you how many times I've found a headless bird. We put up a camera a week ago. Made me sick to see how many raccoons are in my yard at night.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I've had mice break open eggs and eat them, but usually in the coop. I know we have raccoons because I couldn't tell you how many times I've found a headless bird. We put up a camera a week ago. Made me sick to see how many raccoons are in my yard at night.

Mice eat eggs!?

And oh wow that sucks!!

I’m gonna have to set up a camera.

 

[kelseyk]

I am going to say you either have an Opossum or a Raccoon on your hands. It is kind of hard to tell exactly with just a dust print. Raccoons front paw tracks will look a lot like a human hand print with a more equidistant spacing between the 4 fingers and a larger gap between the first finger and the thumb and a larger pad impression, where an opossum will have a pretty equidistant spacing between all 5 fingers and a smaller pad impression on their front foot. A raccoons pack paw will look a lot like a human foot where an Opossums back paw will look more like a funky human hand (weird spacing on the "thumb" toe). My experience with raccoons and opossums here....I have caught opossums sneaking into the chicken coop late afternoon until just after dark and they have stuck to only eggs. The chickens and ducks aren't super phased by them, they might act a little different but not drastic difference. Raccoons on the other hand, have went for a chicken every time and will wait an hour or two after it gets dark to come up to the coop. If they didn't catch a chicken, then I would have at least 1 chicken missing feathers. And the chickens are totally freaked and off normal behavior for a couple days after the encounter. Raccoons are tricky, smart, and strong. We just lost our favorite silkie roo to a raccoon a couple weeks ago and I have been trying to catch them since. I started with the have-a-heart live traps and they got out of my FIL's large coyote live trap 4 times (pushed hard enough on the top that the door support fell out of place and they could just squeeze under the door and other times reached through between the wall of the trap and the door and squeezed the door support bar so that it folded back and then pushed their way out), they also got out of my raccoon size live trap 3 times. I have since went to a hand trap....and have caught 5 in my day run! Looking at your pics of the prints (fingers look too spread out and evenly spaced to be a raccoon - far left one looks like either a back paw or a double front with back on top print) with measurements, how they only took eggs, and how your chickens were not too phased....I am thinking opossum. Best way to find out though is to set up a game cam. I hope you catch whatever it is!

 

[ShrekDawg]

I am going to say you either have an Opossum or a Raccoon on your hands. It is kind of hard to tell exactly with just a dust print. Raccoons front paw tracks will look a lot like a human hand print with a more equidistant spacing between the 4 fingers and a larger gap between the first finger and the thumb and a larger pad impression, where an opossum will have a pretty equidistant spacing between all 5 fingers and a smaller pad impression on their front foot. A raccoons pack paw will look a lot like a human foot where an Opossums back paw will look more like a funky human hand (weird spacing on the "thumb" toe). My experience with raccoons and opossums here....I have caught opossums sneaking into the chicken coop late afternoon until just after dark and they have stuck to only eggs. The chickens and ducks aren't super phased by them, they might act a little different but not drastic difference. Raccoons on the other hand, have went for a chicken every time and will wait an hour or two after it gets dark to come up to the coop. If they didn't catch a chicken, then I would have at least 1 chicken missing feathers. And the chickens are totally freaked and off normal behavior for a couple days after the encounter. Raccoons are tricky, smart, and strong. We just lost our favorite silkie roo to a raccoon a couple weeks ago and I have been trying to catch them since. I started with the have-a-heart live traps and they got out of my FIL's large coyote live trap 4 times (pushed hard enough on the top that the door support fell out of place and they could just squeeze under the door and other times reached through between the wall of the trap and the door and squeezed the door support bar so that it folded back and then pushed their way out), they also got out of my raccoon size live trap 3 times. I have since went to a hand trap....and have caught 5 in my day run! Looking at your pics of the prints (fingers look too spread out and evenly spaced to be a raccoon - far left one looks like either a back paw or a double front with back on top print) with measurements, how they only took eggs, and how your chickens were not too phased....I am thinking opossum. Best way to find out though is to set up a game cam. I hope you catch whatever it is!

Thank you!!! This is extremely helpful!!! I am thinking I am going to have to set up a game cam and maybe a live trap!! Any idea what opossums like for bait?? And wow I had no idea raccoons were so smart!!! I mean, I knew they were smart but to be able to get back out of traps!?