Raccoons Found Us-UPDATE

[Chicky Joy]

Well, I figured it would only be a matter of time before these masked predators paid us a visit. We've had our 8 hens since mid June. They are in a big coop with an enclosed run. We just put our six chicks out in the chicken tractor we built for them three days ago.

My husband was out working in the garage until late last night. He said my dog had been barking for quite some time before he shut the lights off and headed for the house. He stopped to check on the situation before coming inside. My dog, who is tied up right in front of the chicken coop/run had at least two coons up in the very tree to which she is tied.

DH of course came inside and woke me. Long story short, we were up for quite a while in the middle of the night trying to do all we could to ensure the safety of all our chickens.

I got a live trap today and I'm anxious to see if we capture any of those deceptively cute little buggers that can't seem to resist going after everyone's chickens.

 

[Bizzybirdy]

You should have shot them when you had the chance. You will not think they are so cute when you see how they tear the heads off your poor chickens. un

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Not everyone owns a gun Bizzybirdy

I realize that we'll likely get bear, fishers, racoons, etc. passing through here, but we don't own a gun, and we never intend to own one, so protecting our girls through other means is all we can do.

 

[panner123]

Get a gun or YOU WILL BE SORRY. Now I am a betting man and I bet the first time a bear gets in your house, you buy a gun. Coons may kill your chickens and you may not buy a gun, but you will nuy one when your family is threatened.

 

[antlers]

Seems like an awfully safe bet.

 

[Zookeeper9000]

Quote:
Only if they live to tell about it Panner. I have to say I felt the same way as the origanal poster. I was never owning a gun, not me. Well I am going to be taking shooting lessons as soon as I have my shoulder surgery and heal. I will have a gun then and I will use it. I will not be held hostage in my own home and I won't leave my house in fear, not knowing if I can make it to the car or not. I have a real bear drama going on this summer between the big boar and the Mamma bear with 3 cubs and it is very scary. So far nobody has been hurt but we are all walking on a tight rope.

Good luck on your coon catching, good dog.

 

[Chicky Joy]

We did shoot one of them, but were unable to get the other one(s) after that. We aren't about to let anything come after our chickens without doing something about it.

We did set our live trap last night but it was empty this morning.

 

[Gazinga]

I am not a big advocate of the use of firearms, i belive they create as many problems as they solve. that being said...i sleep with a .45 on teh night stand and my wife sleeps with a .45 on her night stand and a shotgun by the bed on her side. I carry teh .45 in my belt when i go out to check on the animals at bed time quite often. I feel better for rme, the animals and most of all my wifes protection having them around.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

I don't condone the use of guns, and therefore won't have one, it's not that I don't believe in shooting an animal that's threatening you, or hurting your animals, etc. I just don't believe in having a gun myself, that being said though...we don't have a bear "problem," the extent of the bear problem is when irresponsible cottagers leave garbage, food, etc. hanging around their cottages, or campsites north of us closer into town, and a bit further west. It's a possbility to have bear around the Jamboree time, because people camp out a couple KM away, but you might get 1 case of a bear coming down during the year, like for instance, a few weeks ago there was a bear in Campbellford, but the reason is because some idiot cottager left food garbage outside, what else would you expect when theres the tasty left over morsel of a hotdog, or hamburger right? We get Fishers, Racoons, Skunks, and occasionally Deer.

Out west when we had our summer farm in Saskatchewan they had a massive bear problem, and one day our tenants who lived there year round (actually family friends) woke up to a huge bear on their front lawn, all it took was one phone call and the farmer who lived next door came over and shot that bear down... it wasn't a common black bear that's for sure.

I will never have a gun, We will never have a gun, it's just life.

 

[Cetawin]

I am sorry the bandits have shown up. Time to get rid of them now. Try putting cat food or fruit in the live trap for the raccoon.

When you catch it...Do Not Relocate it. Just dispatch it.

As to owning a gun...I grew up having them in the house and will not go without having one in my house. Especially living in mountain lion country, bear country and every other chicken killing critter I can think of. LOL