Raccoon Busted Stealing Feed

[centrarchid]

Shining barn I can see raccoon is already present. It was standing on hind legs next to barrel used to store BOSS. I can see eye-shine when beam placed on it from spotlight. Images below were an attempt to show eye-shine. There may be more than one raccoon.

I wonder why they are so into the BOSS?

 

[centrarchid]

Just went out to reconfigure feed barrels paying particular attention to the plastic barrel containing the BOSS. Visitor ran out of barn to NW as I got close to barn but will likely be back within an hour.

 

[aart]

I wonder why they are so into the BOSS?

Because they're delicious....easiest to access.....they're craving the fat????

 

[Wickedchicken6]

They want it for watching a movie?
Our 'coons were partial to chick starter and SS Hamburg chicks.

If I remember correctly, our 'coon family size was 6 last year. Took an extra day or two to get the last young coon. He ate one of the rats I'd caught before I got him.

The guys just got a male here. I'm telling them there'll be more. We'll see who's right. I've got my traps set regardless. Endless skunks here as well.

 

[centrarchid]

The BOSS is not the easiest to access. Game bird starter and laying pellets just as easy. I also have a Missouri Dominique cockerel in a pen they walk right by. Broody hens also close but very well protected by housing.


My brother in Indiana reported getting six raccoons so far but he houses his birds in just about the worst location, next to a creek in what used to be swamp bottoms with a cornfield nearby.

 

[eggbert420]

I got two last night.

 

[centrarchid]

We had just that three days ago; female kitten and sow dispatched by dogs. Problem is dogs must be able to catch them. Female dog had what I think is another treed on our property boundary where is could get down on neighbors shed and just amble away.

 

[eggbert420]

My dogs treed them, and I shot them.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

We weren't bad until the neighboring farmers (we farm too, just not corn) started rotating grazing corn for their cattle on 3 sides of us. But that happened prior to our getting chickens.

Your 'coons must really like BOSS! Possibly easier in their mind. But it doesn't have to be easy though, for them to get it. My Silver Spangled chicks were secure in a shed with walk in doors. They busted the bottom of the one door to get access. The six raccoons were just that one family. We got nine raccoons last year; 14 raccoons since the summer of 2015...but the one in the fan of the combine was not intentional. That was just plain expensive.

 

[centrarchid]

I can shoot them as well, but they have to stay in tree on my side of property boundary. Not good if they drop in neighbors yard.


I am going to do some fence repairs today to keep raccoons out. Plastic insulators photo-degrade after about 4 years.