Raccoon!!!!

[Zuesdude]

KILL IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..... sorry....kill it now....

 

[Zuesdude]

Quote:
You stated that you scared it off for the night. Make on mistake that coon will come back that night!!! I have shot them with BB's and they still came back that night. That animal is Stuck-on-Stupid!

 

[Bizzybirdy]

Racoons will tear right through chicken wire! If you cannot get better/heavier wire then run several strands of hot wire around their pen temporarily and PLEASE bring the chickens inside until you can provide adequate protection for them. The awful killing/mutilating that a racoon will do to helpless chickens is heartbreaking and it will not be a pretty sight.

>>Now I just don't know what to do. So even if I get chain link to go around the run, it still won't be coon proof? <<

Noooo...a racoon will pull the heads/limbs off of chickens, even grown roosters, through chain link. You will need to get small welded wire, 1/2 X 1" or even smaller to line the bottom 2 ft. of the chain link. And I would also run a strand of hot wire.

Do not think the possum will just continue to eat cat food! It too will be in the mood for a chicken dinner one of these nights.

Finding a large guardian dog that will get along instantly with your chickens may be another very difficult undertaking.

 

[allison finch]

I have trapped two coons in the last 6 months, the latest was last night. I use a large havahart trap, stake it down with two rebar rods, put dry cat food under the cage (so they have to work to get to it). Works well for me.

You can either take them out yourself or, if you are kind hearted get someone else to do it. Releasing it elsewhere is not an option as you are only passing the problem to someone else. Remember, they are rabies vectors.


UPDATE!! Yesterday, the same day I trapped the coon, I went to the coop to close the girls in. They were all huddled on their roost and then I saw it. A huge possum was climbing the hardware cloth of the main coop. WTH!! Do I live in freakin Wild Kingdom?? I thumped the 'possum on the butt and he just looked at me (dumb sucker). I live in town, so I couldn't shoot it. he SLOWLY moved off giving me one little growl as I was thumping him. I set the trap.......

 

[lovelychicken]

I went to the garage last night and saw a raccon rummaging through neighbors garbage, sure was pretty thing. I think with all the garbage cans here without lids itll keep um at bay a little, well until my wonderful neighbors kill it. It didnt hiss or anything, just looked at me from about four feet away. Then got tired of me staring at it and went under house. Waited for it to come out so I could get pics but never did. Just put up some shock wire, itll teach um to stay away, or do whatever.

 

[bantamsrus]

Yes!!! Racoons can tear through chickens wire. They will also pull chicken parts through the wire.

Best bet is to trap it before it does any damage (and as has been mentioned before an this thread) KILL IT!!!!. If you just release it somewhere else you're creating a problem for someone else!

I'm sure someone around you has a trap you can borrow for now. Once payday comes, invest in one!

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
This is a late response, but they don't chew through it - they tear it up with their hands.

They can also pull welded wire out, and open latches.

I lost every one of my show birds to raccoons several years back. 2x4 welded wire was ripped off of wood. The only thing that managed to hold them back was 1/2x1 wire, but they opened the doors to those cages and killed the birds inside. (We saw tracks in the mud just outside the door so knew what it was).

A combination of welded wire with an overlay of chicken wire does a nice job though.

 

[lovelychicken]

maybe a good posting would be examples of racoons that have gotten in, i.e. the cage/area ripped off/open latch/that sort of thing---------pictures-------so others can actually see where they are getting threw, the weak spots they find...........IMO 90% of people posting here already know what they are going to do. ill say it again, hot wire! If it can hold back a cayote, it can hold back a racoon.

 

[sunket77]

I have outdoor cats so I can't run hotwire. I got some hardware wire that is strong and small. I am hoping that will do the trick. Otherwise I just hope and pray....pretty much all anyone can do... I know a guy who spent waay to much money on a new chicken tractor and the darn things still got his chickens.

We have been talking about getting a dog for a long time. We got a pup two days ago, I know there will be a long while of training for her, but I think she will work out just fine. In the mean time... hope and pray! Our pen is right beside our house extending off the back porch, if to much of ruckus is made we will hear it for sure. I have kids, sometimes you just have to put things in the hands of God. I have secured it the best I know how and the rest is up to him.