Raccoon in broad daylight.....IN MY COOP!!!!!

[Flippacase]

lol

but do you think somethink like a paintball would scare into staying away?

 

[CityChook]

The question here is HOW did they get into your coop? Is your run not secure? Plan on them being back, for sure.
I'm all for live and let live, but the fact that they were inside the coop, during the light of day is of considerable concern.
Many city coons are not afraid of people. And they can get very big with all the trash cans to raid for food.
BTW, the charge for trapping/removing a coon in my city starts at $400.

 

[Flippacase]

Quote:
YOWZA....400 Shmakas.....



I found a hole dug in the corner, by a fencepost..... Since this morning, I bought 5 rolls of harware cloth.
I put it all along the bottom of the run, and 8 inches into the ground. Also, I put a foot of harware cloth on top of the fence, making it seven feet now. Kinda looks like a high security prison!

 

[incubatingisfun]

a racoon in daylight ussualy means it is sick

 

[PortageGirl]

Guys, Flipacase lives in a CITY. Shooting it is probably out of the question legally speaking, poison also is asking for trouble, too many pets, strays or even kids, live trap and calling wildlife or dog warden is really the only sane option unless there like some cities they do make you need to call a "Pest Removal" company which does get expensive, but not all.

If that truly is the only option, I'd trap it and then deal with it after dark. If you DO relocate it, take it FAR far away, though I do NOT really condone that. Find someone out-side the city limits who can and will humanly dispatch it quickly is what I'd do. A .22 caliber is too small to do it right, I've seen that done poorly. This is a very hard thing to do, but it sounds like you're already working on getting your coop more secure and the run more predator proof which may be enough.

I had a close friend who was a game warden, and while raccoons can and do catch and carry rabies, it's not true that the all have it, and young raccoons are a lot like the young of any species, they don't 'follow the rules'. Again, maybe it is sick, but if they get disturbed by a dog or something chases them out of their resting spot during the day, they'll start exploring... assumptions are not good. Don't assume it isn't sick, take care as if it could well be, but don't panic either.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

Quote:
I'm going to have to disagree. In the case of cities and in parks racoons often go about during the day. I have been to several local campgrounds, and the racoons are out all day and will come up to you and take your food right off the plate you are eating off! In the cities, racoons (and sometimes possums and skunks) often take up new working hours in order to take advantage of "trash day" and restaurant waste. that is, they learn which days are trash day, which days the produce gets tossed from supermarkets and restauraunts, if your neighbor leaves something good out like cat food, things like that.

It's always a good idea to aviod wildlife, because they often carry disease. Where I live, opossums carry Distemper, and if they are seen during the day it IS usually a sign that they are in the last stages of Distemper. I agree that the racoons will be back into your coop, so make sure your chickens are locked up at night so the racoons can't get in. You are lucky that those racoons were probably just scouting around (probably young siblings). Next time they will be back with chicken dinner on thier mind.

 

[dntd]

I go camping alot and they have a sign posted that not all racoons during the day are rapid, just give them space and never feed them.

 

[Flippacase]

I'm going to sit on my back porch with a flash night, pots and pans in hand...if i see and glowing eyes......I'll make some noise!!!!

 

[drumstick diva]

I live in a Chicago suburb, with a forest preserve at the end of the street. I walk alot and in doing so have encountered raccoons, foxes and even coyotes during daylight hours. They seem fine and dandy . The only sickly acting things I have ever seen in many years of walking has been opossums - ones staggering around or standing near the road and not moving even when I yelled at them. I gave these a wild berth. The 'yotes and raccoons and foxes have just learned they can eat anytime. People leave dishes out for dogs and cats. Others are so dumb they throw their weekly food garbage out on the street in flimsy plastic bags. Of course these get torn open and dragged around but they never learn. Coons have no troube taking bungie cords off the rubbermaid trash cans either.

They come out because food is there most of the time, I don't believe they are sickly at all. Just humans have made it attractive to them to do so. The animals are so well fed, that fast food meals tossed by the roadside don't even get touched. They can pick and choose their buffet dining. I would still be very cautious around them but, unless they are stumbling, or acting weird, I don't consider them sick at all.

 

[iajewel]

I agree, I can't imagine owning chickens and not owning a .22