Raccoons in Seattle

[manvsbear]

Hi,
My wife and I live in Seattle and we have 7 pullets we are going to need to put outside soon. The coop is solid and no predator can get in. The girls will be spending their nights in the coop. I want to know If I need to worry about raccoons getting them in the run during the day time. Has anyone in the Seattle area had problems with this? or is it just at night that I need to be concerned about?

Thanks

 

[Imp]

First off Welcome from an imp in Renton

Check out the Washingtonians thread in the Where are you forum. Lots of nice people there.

About Raccoons, you can never trust them. Remember the story last year about the couple, in Ballard I think, that were attacked in their yard. The raccoons in Stanley Park in Vancouver that were going after tourists for treats.
That being said. I have a pair of raccoons that show up every year with their new babies. They hang in my yard early morning, in the dark, summer into fall. They never bother me or the chickens. They do sometimes come around in the late morning while the chickens are out free-ranging, and they ignore the chickens in favor of preying on cherries.
They did swim to the bottom of my goldfish pond and catch the catfish.
It does make me very nervous if I see a stranger raccoon in the yard. I will stay outside and keep an eye on it till it leaves.
My chickens free range from the time I leave for work (sometimes 5am) till I get home (sometimes 10pm). I have no idea what goes on in the yard while I'm gone. Have not lost a chicken to a predator in 7 years. That being said I reiterate- never trust them.

Good luck,

Imp

 

[darttt]

I am in Oregon, and have had chickens for 24 years........every year I lose one or two to raccoons......and it is during the day, as mine too get locked in at night.....