Raccoon

[gmfwlbrdr]

Keep dog proof traps nearby ,set at every location on the outside of every corner ,that gives the coon something to eat and occupy his time then he reachs in and is caught and will be theyre in the morning, I dont know the specific s in the game laws of every state about protection of your livestock so use your disgresion, but im all about coon and possum elimination around my coops,if you catch and eliminate the raiders the chickens will be safer.

 

[gmfwlbrdr]

this is a dog proof ,coon trap ,it is by far the best and easiest coon catching device out there.

 

[MeepBeep]

I dont know the specific s in the game laws of every state about protection of your livestock so use your disgresion

In addition to this know your trapping laws, in IL for example 'legally' trapping nuisance animals like coons is nearly impossible to do... That isn't to say people don't trap, they most certainly do but it's technically illegal to do so unless you obtain all the proper permits and licenses and they are nearly impossible for the average person to obtain for nuisance animals, you basically have to be a licensed animal removal specialist to get the permits to trap... But, on the other hand it's perfectly legal to shoot it on the spot if you see it actively 'threatening' your animals... While there is a huge 'gray' area with many animals where you technically need a license to shoot any 'fur bearing' animal that is threatening your livestock...

Consider your location and the laws, around me if you are rural or in a 'farm' community no one is going to blink at you trapping nuisance animals or even shooting them at night... On the other hand if you are in some of the more urban areas or cities many times trapping is frowned upon and prohibitions are enforced, especially if you have a busy body neighbor... While shooting is almost never an option in urban areas...

 

[gmfwlbrdr]

I still live in Rural America so yes it is harder to protect your livestock in a city environment, with busy bodie neighbours.

 

[wut ru chicken]

You shootem with bullets and guns

 

[Jokerturtle123]

 

[thatsdebatable]

Thank you for your advice everyone!

We bought some hardware cloth for the pen. We used some near the base and layered it over the chicken wire we already used. When the keets first moved out into the pen from the brooder, they slept near the edge of the pen, and the raccoon would stick its hands through the wire and kill off the unlucky birds sleeping near the edge. Now that we used the hardware cloth, it's too small for the raccoon's hands to get through.

We also used some wire and put it around the base to make sure the raccoon won't try to dig through the ground and get in.

The keets stay in the coop most of the day, since they're still pretty young, but we let them go outside for a while during the afternoon, and we supervise to make sure nothing will eat them. Then, they go inside the pen to roost.

We set out a trap baited with marshmallows, and we caught a very fat raccoon. Ever since we caught and shot it, we have had no problems with the keets getting eaten or injured at night.

The keets also have a perch in the coop that they've figured out how to use, which makes for a safer place to sleep than sleeping at the edge did.

Thanks again for your advice!
thatsdebatable

 

[thatsdebatable]

and [*] Keep roosting birds a foot or more from coop perimeter / wall raccoon has access to.

In the past I could have raccoons coming in every night to consume feed and get into compost pile. They would check chicken pens but would not put serious effort into going after a bird it could directly detect by sight or smell unless the bird was in reach. The chewing through the wire was reserved for situations where the chicken was in direct contact with wire. When so motivated even hardware cloth did not stop raccoon.

[*] Dog running about outside is also effective.

They have been using roosts that we put in the pen, so they aren't right next to the wall or anything. Before they used the roosts, they slept at the edge of the pen and pressed themselves against the wire, which is how two of them got eaten. After making the proper reinforcements, and after they started using the roosts, we've had no problems with them being eaten. Additionally, we caught and shot the raccoon, so we have no more issues with predators at night. Thanks!

 

[thatsdebatable]

In addition to this know your trapping laws, in IL for example 'legally' trapping nuisance animals like coons is nearly impossible to do... That isn't to say people don't trap, they most certainly do but it's technically illegal to do so unless you obtain all the proper permits and licenses and they are nearly impossible for the average person to obtain for nuisance animals, you basically have to be a licensed animal removal specialist to get the permits to trap... But, on the other hand it's perfectly legal to shoot it on the spot if you see it actively 'threatening' your animals... While there is a huge 'gray' area with many animals where you technically need a license to shoot any 'fur bearing' animal that is threatening your livestock...

Consider your location and the laws, around me if you are rural or in a 'farm' community no one is going to blink at you trapping nuisance animals or even shooting them at night... On the other hand if you are in some of the more urban areas or cities many times trapping is frowned upon and prohibitions are enforced, especially if you have a busy body neighbor... While shooting is almost never an option in urban areas...

Where I live, it's legal to trap and shoot pests, including raccoons. And I live in more of a farm community, so people don't get upset if you trap and shoot a raccoon - many of them have had problems with pests themselves. I imagine it would be a problem in more urban areas, though.