Raccoon!! Emergency!

[Kittymomma]

 

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Oh no!! I'm so sorry for your loss, you guys really and truly gave it your all to help her and I applaud you for it. Also, I (as I'm sure a lot of other BYCers) appreciate your willingness to walk us through all your steps trying to save your girl. We all learn so much from each other on this site and hopefully your advice and the advice of others on this thread will help save other hurt chickens. You guys are in our thoughts!!

 

[henmomma]

For the questions about our pen - it is completely - 4 sides chicken wire. About 15' wide by 30' long. Now picture 1/3rd of it separated only by a 4X4 beam horizontally about 3 feet off of the ground. Hard to describe but this used to be my raised garden that butted up to Chloe's dog pen. After losing the other dogs last year, we moved Chloe into the house. Her pen became the side where the chicken's water, layer crumbles feeder and the laying box are. The laying box is a plywood box, raised off of the ground, metal mesh bottom, milk crates with hay inside, open front.

the 4X4 horizontally was just for support originally of the dog pen side. Hubby removed the wire separating the garden from the dog pen side for one big run for the girls. We built a ladder type roost in the laying box, tried moving it to other places but they wanted nothing to do with it. They roost on that 4X4 and we have no choice in the matter lol.

Lots of hawks and bald eagles here too so made him cover the top. Dog Pen side has always had tin roofing, garden side we covered with chicken wire to keep the predator birds out but still to let sunshine in and the girls LOVE to go out and run around in the rain. In the hot Florida summers, we lay palm fronds up on the top and it becomes our chicken tiki house LOL. On the garden side we overlapped the wire where we had to and used wire strips to twist together. The coon just ripped in the middle of a section of plain chicken wire - not overlapped part. Must have grabbed it like the incredible hulk or something.

I found a spot in the fence where Cookie's blood and feathers were too. In a corner. Looks like he cornered her at one point after chasing her everywhere. She really ran for her life. I so wish I could have gotten out there faster.

I also had hubby put 1X6 wood on the outside of the chicken wire beside where they roost so no reaching through like I read here!

Hope this helps you all mentally picture it!

 

[moonpie]

Quote:
I am so terribly sorry for you, this made me so sad. Rest in peace little Cookie

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

I am so sorry for your loss; though they are "just" chickens, it touches us just as deeply as a family member, because they were LOVED.
You and your wonderful husband did EVERYTHING you could have possibly done.
Many of us share in your loss, and share in your tears...

 

[MissEllie]

So Sorry!

 

[mountainsteff]

Very Sorry to hear of your loss. We have had several Coon issues here. It's a constant battle to be smarter then the predators! Hope she heals well!
Steff

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
<sigh> Chicken wire is no match for a determined coon. Well, Cookie isn't suffering anymore and thank you for sharing some shared some valuable information with us, I just hate it had to be shared because of Cookie's demise. It's interesting that the coon didn't simply go in the side of the pen rather through the top. Are you planning on changing the wire?

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[eastbaychicks]

With tears in my eyes, I am so sorry for your loss. What a tough girl to have stayed around as long as she did.

It is so hard to believe the many ways these birds touch our lives, but they do.

 

[jjthink]

I'm so sorry.
JJ