Raccoon

[DLA]

I was out in the garden digging up some weeds from a raised bed, some of the chickens where in the garden with me helping and some were not far away dust bathing near the house. All the sudden they all started carrying on something terrible. My rooster started running around herding all his girls toward me in a group away from the raccoon. I was pretty proud of how he handled things. I didn't see it initially but then I saw there was a darn raccoon walking out of their coop. Good sized one too. I set up a trap after I chased it off with a stick (hoping I don't get a skunk instead!). They're not usually that brazen and during the day time too! I know we've always got raccoons around and I usually live and let live but when they're coming that close and getting in the coop I draw the line and they have to go. Thanks to the Lord that it didn't get one of the chickens and didn't seem sick and come after me.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We don't mess around with raccoon here. They can carry rabies. Hopefully you can trap it. One year one was killing full grown turkey hens by chewing off their heads. They were setting outside in the run on some eggs.

 

[DLA]

We don't mess around with raccoon here. They can carry rabies. Hopefully you can trap it. One year one was killing full grown turkey hens by chewing off their heads. They were setting outside in the run on some eggs.

I've shot some over the years, mostly ones that were determined to be places they shouldn't be (like this one) or were obviously sick. Despite the large number of them that I know are around, this is only the 2nd time I've had issues. My coops and runs are secure but I had the doors open cause the chickens were out taking their daily walk around the yard. I should have been paying more attention to them instead of multi-tasking in the garden and I shouldn't have left the doors where the food is open. It was more interested in the chicken feed than the chickens this time - thankfully!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

We had one this past winter going through the cat door in the shed and feasting on cat food. They are clever, and bold.

 

[DLA]

We had one this past winter going through the cat door in the shed and feasting on cat food. They are clever, and bold.

They sure are.