Raccoon in yard at 11am. Is this normal?

[rainbowgardens]

I just spotted a raccoon coming into my yard where my girls free range. Praise God He had me glance out the window.
I sent my border collie out and he circled the yard looking for what had alarmed me. He didn't know it at the time, but he scared the raccoon up a tree. I tied the dog nearby while I went in to phone my husband. I'm ashamed to admit that I haven't learned enough about our guns to know which one to use, so I needed to ask. While I was inside the raccoon came down and left.
Is it normal behavior for a raccoon to be out in the middle of the day? I have free ranging birds and the run I do have isn't secure against a hungry raccoon. I don't know that my dog is trustworthy enough to be out in the yard all day to protect them.
I thought they were safe against raccoons because they only came out at night. I am so grateful I didn't have to learn about this the hard way.

 

[Amethyste]

We have had coons out many times during the day at all times of the year. The local Wildlife Officer says they are not rabid...they are just very very hungry this year and are searching for food at all hours. Lots of orphaned ones too he said, so they don't really have the teaching to find food like kits with mothers would have. They were most likely just barely old enough to survive without Mom.

We lost one of our girls a year or so ago to a coon attack at 10 am

We just saw yesterday a coon wandering around at 2 pm....we chased him off and made sure the girls were locked up well.

The Wildlife offcier we spoke to said no coons with rabies have been noted for a long time in our area...he did come and take the one away that killed Boo and tested it...it was negative.

Its sad really.... this was their home long before ours. They are just doing what they can do to survive

I will protect my girls mind you, but if the coons are starving, they will come to at least try.

We have our girls in a strong coop, and a reinforced run, so I am feeling ok about leaving them out in the run during the day. After Boo was killed we went thru the entire run with a fine toothed comb, and have hardware cloth all over it. It is as coon-predator resistant as we can possibly make it.

 

[ranchhand]

I used to see them out at all times of the day and night when I worked next to the marshes here. It just means they're hungry and looking for food. Now, if one runs toward you? Go the other way.

 

[rainbowgardens]

The one I spotted today looked young.
I don't have the skills or the money to make my run preditor proof. It just serves to protect them from hawks on the rare occasions the crows don't keep them chased off.
I guess I'll just need to focus on making it dog proof so I can keep our border collie out there to stand guard. It's going to be a long cold winter for him. My poor girls are going to miss free-ranging.

 

[beth59]

I've seen coyotes out during the day, but have never seen a raccoon out during the day around here.

Beth

 

[wildorchid053]

just be careful.. a coon could kill your collie if she is tied up and can't get away

 

[dacjohns]

Although they are primarily nocturnal, especially where there is human caused pressure, they are occasionally seen during the day.

 

[ams3651]

just be careful, if they are stumbling, growling, and run towards you ...get out of their way! The only one I saw here during the day was rabid so just be careful. Dont leave the dog out unsupervised.

 

[chickensioux]

I agree with "be careful". Coons are primarily nocturnal, although not totally unheard of for them to be out during the day, it is unusual. Early onset of rabies can make the animal act differently than normal but not show the typical symptoms yet. I'm not saying it's rabid just avoid them no matter what they are doing.

 

[accio! chickens]

We seem them all the time during the day. Usually there is a good reason, we see them more often during the day when they've had kits and they're trying to feed them. I chased an enormous momma with 3 babies in tow off my driveway over the summer. I caught and killed one of the babies but couldn't get the rest.