Raccoons are savage

[xxNicholexx]

In spite of trying to keep them safe, have lost a lot of chickens over the years to a vast array of predators. But never like this and never more than one or two in a week. Until a couple nights ago.
My flock is locked in their house at night, which is attacked to a small run, that also is closed and locked. They spend their days in a large area, where there is patches of tall grass to hide from hawks if necessary. That area is behind a 4ft chain link fence. I honestly thought they would be as close to bulletproof as they could get without being locked up in a cage 24/7. However, Thursday night around 9pm, I went out to lock them in for the evening and right inside the chain link gate is a little body. So sad, but these things happen, especially to the animal at the bottom of the food chain. Then, I saw another. Then, another and another....
I lost 19 out of 20 chickens that night. Only Wowie remains. I didn't know what the predator was until last night when we saw the giant raccoon try to come back over the fence. We set a live trap, but it's not interested.
So my questions are:
1. How can I beef up security in the chicken yard? I can't leave Wowie locked up forever. and
2. Does anyone know how to catch a raccoon? Because I will avenge all the carnage and savagery.
Thanks in advanced,
Nichole

 

[Zinjifrah]

This probably sound inhumane, but when you catch it, kill it slowly. There was no reason to kill 19 birds. If it was only one or two and where eaten, I would say kill it quick. I absolutely hate coons.

An animal is an animal. It doesn't comprehend pets, it comprehends that it's an opportunistic omnivore. No animal deserves to be tortured. If it has to be put down, then do it cleanly and humanely. Deliberately torturing an animal is one of the most contemptible acts that a human can undertake.

Improve your flock defenses, eliminate the opportunities for a raccoon or other opportunistic predator to get to the birds. Kill the raccoon if necessary. But do not torture an animal for the crime of being an animal.

 

[redranger209]

This probably sound inhumane, but when you catch it, kill it slowly. There was no reason to kill 19 birds. If it was only one or two and where eaten, I would say kill it quick. I absolutely hate coons.

 

[Redhead Rae]

paw trap is the best option. it look's like a small cylinder so nothing else will try to get in it but a coons paw. bait with anchovies or sardines(the oil keeps the smell even threw a rain storm). then.....well you can work out the rest

https://www.amazon.com/Duke-DUKE-DP...d=1529211739&sr=8-2&keywords=raccoon+paw+trap

cage traps do not work very well. compared to dog proofs.

i have caught 3 this year in a duke dog proof traps, and not one broken bone or ripped skin. far from unethical,

We've tried the Have-a-hart live traps and they do not work well. I caught one coon in a have-a-hart, but that was only after I put the remains of the chicken it killed the night before in the trap and covered the trap with a tarp. The only thing I've caught since is our mouser.

So we've started having a coon problem in the last 2 months we tried the live-trap again, and nothing. The bait would get stolen or we would catch our outdoor cat.

So we bought the Duke dog proof paw traps. These aren't like the serrated "jaw traps" that most people think of when they hear "paw traps". This is a tube with a smooth wire that snaps onto the coon's hand when it pulls the leaver inside the tube when it tries to get the bait out.

We have 8 traps that we've tied to fence posts. We baited with old dry dog food for a week without setting the traps to get the coons comfortable with them.

We first set the traps Friday night. Saturday morning, we had caught 2 coons. Yesterday morning, we had 2 more coons. We had one more coon this morning. We'll keep trapping there until we aren't catching any more coons and then move to another area of the property.

 

[The Phantom]

So sorry! I recently lost two pheasants worth $600 to them suckers. Shooting them and electric wire are your best options. Trapping and releasing them does nothing but give them an opportunity to find their way back or cause somebody else the same problem. If you have a 22 that works the best. We have killed 10 coons and 2 opossum running around my coops in the last week! I would get Wowie a friend asap, chickens do not like being alone.

 

[llombardo]

One raccoon killed 19 chickens at one time? Are you sure there is not any other possible predator working with the raccoon?

 

[xxNicholexx]

Electric fence!! Why have I never thought of that?! It shall be the first thing on the agenda tomorrow. Thank you!!

So sorry! I recently lost two pheasants worth $600 to them suckers. Shooting them and electric wire are your best options. Trapping and releasing them does nothing but give them an opportunity to find their way back or cause somebody else the same problem. If you have a 22 that works the best. We have killed 10 coons and 2 opossum running around my coops in the last week! I would get Wowie a friend asap, chickens do not like being alone.

Oh, I wasn't going to release the raccoon back into the world. We were using a live trap so my husband could show the same pleasantries that he showed my little chickens, but away from the eyes of the kids.

This probably sound inhumane, but when you catch it, kill it slowly. There was no reason to kill 19 birds. If it was only one or two and where eaten, I would say kill it quick. I absolutely hate coons.

I want to, but I have only killed spiders and flies, so I don't think I could do it. My husband will do it, but quickly and with a gun. He's probably more pissed than I am, because he had to listen to me sob about it for days.

One raccoon killed 19 chickens at one time? Are you sure there is not any other possible predator working with the raccoon?

Not sure at all, but they only thing we have seen is a raccoon. There are very few animals bold enough to do create such chaos when it's still light out and with my 2 big dogs in the yard on the other side of the fence. I didn't know anything had that kind of nerve until that day.

 

[WthrLady]

foxes kill as many birds as fast as they can and then come back later to collect and hide the bodies for later. And they're FAST at it. Kits are hungry this time of year. While I have no doubt the raccoon was visiting to take advantage, my money is on a fox.

 

[redranger209]

Ehh I was in a bad mood. I take it back, kill it quick.

 

[Folly's place]

I've had good success with live traps for raccoons and opossums, and the occasional cat. Once a groundhog. Wish I could get more groundhogs!
It's illegal to trap and release raccoons, opossums, and foxes, at least, except in very specific ways. In Michigan, it's either on your own land, or on private land within the same county, with landowner permission. It's best, and recommended, to shoot them if trapped.
It's definitely best to have a safe coop and run!!!
Mary