Raccoons here

[MissChick@dee]

X2 on cat food canned cheap and smelly! Those who relocate don’t understand. Dollar to Donuts they’ve never had to do it. While reading your post I kinda wonder if the raccoon is actually staying under the coop. Best wishes hope you catch him.

 

[Folly's place]

For smaller raccoons, the medium live traps are fine. For the really big adults, the larger size is best. Not dog/ coyote sized, but pretty large. Set out two at a time if possible.
My barn cats never got into a trap more than once, if at all. That's why I rarely used cat food as bait. And the one time we tried to live trap an offending fox, we failed.
Mary

 

[arrowti]

The chicken coop is a renovated haulable-camper. Nothing but chickens and ducks under it during the day. They're probably trying to find a weak spot to get in or just thinking they won't get noticed. I'm keeping an eye out but the little guys haven't returned.

I will pass on to my family to not feed them outside or leave food out. Usually there's an electric wire around the backside and a fence around the front, but neither are really functional at the moment. There are currently 8 boys in the flock (2 roos, 6 cockerels). Hopefully someone will hear something during the day from at least one of the freeloaders if something shows up!

 

[MissChick@dee]

For smaller raccoons, the medium live traps are fine. For the really big adults, the larger size is best. Not dog/ coyote sized, but pretty large. Set out two at a time if possible.
My barn cats never got into a trap more than once, if at all. That's why I rarely used cat food as bait. And the one time we tried to live trap an offending fox, we failed.
Mary

EXACTLY!! Once a coon is trapped and released they become trap smart. Once they’ve had the easy pickings of a chicken in a coop they’ll come back for more. So relocated coons are a smarter more dangerous coon.

 

[Compost King]

Racoon's can even figure out how to unlock a coop after enough attempts. I started making doors heavy or putting concrete blocks against doors because they are not strong enough to open them. After a Raccoon attack I start screwing my doors shut until I came up with heavy doors and I had to use my cordless screw driver to open the coops. Eventually I caught all of them. Between myself and my neighbor we caught 8 of them, I killed mine he relocated his.

 

[starri33]

While I am sure the idea of killing them offends others, but simply put, relocation only helps aiding the spread if disease as others have said and it's also shoving your problems off on others.

 

[Compost King]

While I am sure the idea of killing them offends others, but simply put, relocation only helps aiding the spread if disease as others have said and it's also shoving your problems off on others.

I am not sure if people are offended by others killing them, some people just value life so high they can't do it themselves. It's why I do not get preachy about the subject, I don't want to tell someone their values are wrong.

 

[Folly's place]

That's why I think that it's best to not trap at all unless you are willing to also not relocate. Excellent coop defenses are essential, regardless.
Mary

 

[llombardo]

It's illegal to catch and relocate coons. Shoot'em in the trap and dispose of them. @Folly's place ---just an FYI---there is no 22g. I think you mean a .22

Depending on where you live you can't trap and shoot on your own property without a permit. So before everyone starts chiming in about how it's illegal to relocate, it may be illegal to trap and dispose of without having that permit. Unless people think its ok to break the law by killing an animal but not ok to break the law to relocate?

 

[Compost King]

Depending on where you live you can't trap and shoot on your own property without a permit. So before everyone starts chiming in about how it's illegal to relocate, it may be illegal to trap and dispose of without having that permit. Unless people think its ok to break the law by killing an animal but not ok to break the law to relocate?

Discharge of a firearm is illegal in my city, its cruel and I hate doing it but I fill a large garbage can full of water and throw the trap in that.