Raccoon/cat Mad at myself and heart broken!

[chickengeorgeto]

Coons live in loose colonies. There is already another one there to take the place of any you remove so remove as many as you're able. Watch this video, it is easy with the right equipment and a little knowledge to control an entire colony of coons. At the least you can force them not to think of your chickens as a food source.

 

[subhanalah]

Coons live in loose colonies. There is already another one there to take the place of any you remove so remove as many as you're able.  Watch this video, it is easy with the right equipment and a little knowledge to control an entire colony of coons.  At the least you can force them not to think of your chickens as a food source.

Can you please elaborate on this?

 

[Csun132]

Was she eating cooked oats? Mixing an egg into the cooked oats before cooking is a good way to add a little egg to the diet.

ChaoSS,
I had an egg yolk and used rolled oats and mixed it up and let it sit a little bit to soften trying to get her to at least eat some yolk as she wouldn't eat the eggs any other way or much else just after the attack. I cook them other wise when they eat them and add fruit to it. Adding the egg would be a great idea. Thanks!

 

[Csun132]

Just catching up after being off line for a while and read this thread.  It's like a novel!  I'm so glad to see she is doing well!!  

My biggest fear is predators since I live way out in the country.  I'm hoping my "Feather Fortress" (the coop built to withstand a grizzly bear attack even though the worst we have here are coyotes and raccoon) and my dogs will keep my chicks safe.  But we are all human and I know someday I will forget to close up the coop.  So we plan on a fairly secure coop and I am saving for an automatic pop door that opens and closes itself since I KNOW we will forget at some point.

Don't be hard on yourself.  I doubt anyone on BYC can say they have never forgotten.   You are a great chicken mom!  You've taken such good care of her and, again, I am so glad she is doing well!!  

PamelaTX.
At 7:35pm every night now a rooster croos till I turn the alarm off on my phone!! It is my reminder to secure the girls up!
She worried me those first few days but she is a trooper! Just not sure she will ever be able to go back in with her age girls. I will weigh her tomorrow to see how much she has gained. I am curious as she is back to her normal eating habits but just unable to forage as long as she did before. I pray your coop is strong and nothing ventures around if by chance the door gets left open.
The automatic door would be great. Saw a post from the invention sections were someone made a rope door locking pully from a youtube video that was a automatic electric door locking pully system someone made. Might get some ideas from the two of them to make your own! I will post a link.

 

[ChaoSS]

ChaoSS,
I had an egg yolk and used rolled oats and mixed it up and let it sit a little bit to soften trying to get her to at least eat some yolk as she wouldn't eat the eggs any other way or much else just after the attack. I cook them other wise when they eat them and add fruit to it. Adding the egg would be a great idea. Thanks!

I suggest that because I've recently discovered eating that mixture myself. An egg mixed into a third cup of dry oatomeal, cooked with milk, is pretty darn good.

 

[PamelaTX]

Well it's as if your word were prophetic! We were awoken to the dogs going NUTS and sure enough they had chased a raccoon from the coop area and "treed" him up under the rafter of a nearby porch! Second night with the chicks outside and those darn predators are gathering already! I see from your story and from our experience this morning that we must be vigilant for sure!

My teenage chicks (6 of them about 6 weeks old) have just been placed night before last into our good sized coop (about 34 square feet with plenty of ventilation) but the run has not been built yet. I figured being locked in a large coop was better than in a bin in a small bathroom! Anyway, since our run is not ready our pop door has not been cut out yet. So for the moment I feel like a mom whose kids are too young to drive! I know they are locked in the "Feather Fortress" as we call it and are only vulnerable when I open the access door to feed, water, and clean. But it's just a matter of time until the run is finished and they will be allowed out during the day. That's when I will have to remember to put them away each night and close and lock the door.

Thanks for the GREAT idea of an alarm on the phone. I always have it with me and it will be a while until we can install an automatic door. I will set one for myself and have a strict rule that I don't turn it off until either my husband or I go out and put the chickens to bed. That will help a lot. Great suggestion!

Good luck with your girl. I'm so glad, after seeing that first picture, to know that she is healing! I must confess I thought she was a goner. Like I said, you're a good chicken mom.

 

[Csun132]

Well it's as if your word were prophetic!  We were awoken to the dogs going NUTS and sure enough they had chased a raccoon from the coop area and "treed" him up under the rafter of a nearby porch!  Second night with the chicks outside and those darn predators are gathering already!  I see from your story and from our experience this morning that we must be vigilant for sure!

My teenage chicks (6 of them about 6 weeks old) have just been placed night before last into our good sized coop (about 34 square feet with plenty of ventilation) but the run has not been built yet.  I figured being locked in a large coop was better than in a bin in a small bathroom!  Anyway, since our run is not ready our pop door has not been cut out yet. So for the moment I feel like a mom whose kids are too young to drive!  I know they are locked in the "Feather Fortress" as we call it and are only vulnerable when I open the access door to feed, water, and clean.  But it's just a matter of time until the run is finished and they will be allowed out during the day.  That's when I will have to remember to put them away each night and close and lock the door. 

Thanks for the GREAT idea of an alarm on the phone.  I always have it with me and it will be a while until we can install an automatic door.  I will set one for myself and have a strict rule that I don't turn it off until either my husband or I go out and put the chickens to bed.  That will help a lot.  Great suggestion!

Good luck with your girl.  I'm so glad, after seeing that first picture, to know that she is healing!  I must confess I thought she was a goner.  Like I said, you're a good chicken mom. 

PamelaTX,
Thank goodness for your dogs. What breed do you have? There were tons of new smaller coon prints on top of the rubbermaid container I keep feed in beside a metal lidded trash can for supplies that is about 3 feet from the coop. I had it along side the coop but realized they used it to climb on and pull the wire and power cord so we moved it beside a smaller barn. I will be moving it into the pump shed area which is quite aways away from the coop. Will make feeding lil different but will keep smells of feed further away from coop. Also have a shed I can put it in that closes up even further away. Might be even better idea.
The new coop that Gold Dust will be in will have a sliding pop coop door that we will have to really be sure is predator secure! She is so anxious to be a free ranger again! She tells me about it ever time I scoop out her cage and she jumps up to the edge so I pick her up and let her walk around and she heads straight to the glass doors and clucks and then turns to me and coos. Like please Mom, can I go outside, please! Poor girl!
Thanks for telling me I am a good chicken Mom. I love my girls and new to being one and so thankful for all the help and information from the site and the members!!!!
Here is her picture from yesterday of her wound. She has some feather shafts that seem new but maybe her bottom was swelled before and that is from her old feathers that were pulled out. I thought I read that they wouldn't grow back till she molted.

 

[Starfire669]

A friend once lost her momma cat and kittens to coons. She found their bodies in the morning and thinks the momma tried to protect her kittens when the coons found them. A few months later I trapped an extremely large mean cat. This cat had severely injured my female cat a month after her spay. I was ready to shoot him, when she asked if she could have him. A year later and that cat has a vendetta against coons. She finds baby coon bodies now and thinks its the tomcat doing it. I don't think every cat can take on a coon and win, but maybe extremely large, mean feral tomcats can. I was also told that a strong cat colonies presence can deter coons and possum just from all the scent marking. However, if not managed right a cat colony can get out of control and attack the chickens. I am starting a feral colony because people keep dumping the cats here. I get them spay/neutered through a cat rescue who is thrilled to have someone trapping adults and caring for them, the young kittens I catch are tamed and found homes after being spay/neutered. I feed the cats at dawn, and they hunt mice, rats, and snakes at night. So far it is working. I just have to lock the chickens and geese up at night to prevent the cats getting them. The ferals sleep most of the day and only come out at night. So my birds can still safely free range.

 

[Csun132]

Gold Dust had an egg today!!! Boy was she proud also!!! She wanted the world to know!! She is sitting on it picking up shavings and moving and tucking them. Hate that it isn't hatchable for her. If she continues to be broody she maybe a good incubator Momma!!! Not sure I want to raise little ones but we will see. I am sooo happy for her though!!!

 

[Starfire669]

Gold Dust had an egg today!!! Boy was she proud also!!! She wanted the world to know!! She is sitting on it picking up shavings and moving and tucking them. Hate that it isn't hatchable for her. If she continues to be broody she maybe a good incubator Momma!!! Not sure I want to raise little ones but we will see. I am sooo happy for her though!!!

Yay for Gold Dust. After all she has been through it might be good for her to have a couple little chicks!