Raccoons - Warning: Graphic Photos

[Carolrich]

Maybe that’s why I feel so bad when I have to kill a raccoon Because I know he’s just trying to get his food to survive. But like I said before I guess what we have to do with what we have to do to keep ourselves and our animals safe along with others. It is sad though. I’m sorry about you losing your two girls. It really is devastating. Years ago I lost two of mind to a raccoon. He pulled them out from underneath the fencing and found a pile of bones near the run and found one of my chickens missing an entire leg and thigh. I guess the raccoon couldn’t get her to fit and ended up ripping off her leg. We tried but the injury was too bad and she was too young and see came to her injuries at the end of the night. That’s when we went crazy on that part of their protection.

Oh. . .that is so sad! I have heard of this happening to others (pulling chickens through the wire). Have you considered putting a hardware cloth apron extending from the bottom wiring of the run? What a horrible sight for you to see.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Oh yes definitely. Right after that ditched the Staples and learned they do no good and went to fEncing Nails Dug down and added a skirt and attached a 2 x 6 to the 4 x 4 at the bottom screw that on and buried it too. There’s lots of other things we did after that because I swore I could never ever wake up to that site again.
It was our first year having chickens and the run we put up with the hardware cloth the netting on top absolutely no holes we thought we did awesome compared to the guy who lives down the street that uses PVC and chicken wire and nothing else and has never lost a chicken. He must be magic or something because there is stuff that comes through our yard all the time. Raccoons coyotes bobcats owls hocks weasels and most recently we’ve had coywolf sightings nearby. I’ve busted a raccoon trying to get in but couldn’t then dogs chased him off

 

[Carolrich]

Oh yes definitely. Right after that ditched the Staples and learned they do no good and went to fEncing Nails Dug down and added a skirt and attached a 2 x 6 to the 4 x 4 at the bottom screw that on and buried it too. There’s lots of other things we did after that because I swore I could never ever wake up to that site again.
It was our first year having chickens and the run we put up with the hardware cloth the netting on top absolutely no holes we thought we did awesome compared to the guy who lives down the street that uses PVC and chicken wire and nothing else and has never lost a chicken. He must be magic or something because there is stuff that comes through our yard all the time. Raccoons coyotes bobcats owls hocks weasels and most recently we’ve had coywolf sightings nearby. I’ve busted a raccoon trying to get in but couldn’t then dogs chased him off

LOL! You have to wonder about your magic neighbor! This is only our 3rd year with chickens. After the raccoon killing, two of our lovely ladies (Rosie and Bella) were free ranging during the day in the back open area near our house. We had always allowed the girls to free range when we were home during the day and had never experienced negative consequences. They used to follow us along with the dog and the cat on walks through the woods. That day, I was napping and heard a couple of loud squawks. The dog was with me and she didn't react so I thought it was just the girls fussing at each other. About an hour later, my husband was in the back and called for me to look at a couple of piles of feathers. We couldn't find Rosie or Bella. Then we found them both beheaded in the woods. We later determined that it was a pair of red tailed hawks that came hunting through. The hens proved to be too heavy for them to carry intact back to their nests. It was spring and we understand that they hunt to feed their hatched young more aggressively during this time of year. The hawks came back a week later when we were watching over our hens ranging in the meadow and RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND THE DOG, swooped down an tried to pick off two more of them.
Now we no longer alllow them to free range. In addition to our secure run, we have a hatch leading to a 1200 sq ft fenced area covered with trees and bushes where they can range during the day. We are in process of placing slender roping at 3 ft intervals over the top of that area as an extra precaution against swooping predators.
All in all, we are happy with our set up now although I miss the "herd" of hens racing down the driveway when I exit our house.

 

[Birdsong 82]

A hawk may not be able to lift a chicken and completely fly away with it Wholebut it will definitely kill a chicken. I’m lucky enough that Mike can free range but I know the Hawks are the reason they stay by the goats the whole time they are out. Most daytime predators are not going to try to challenge for 140 pound goats. A stray dog tried to one time. I guarantee he won’t be back. Mama goat Lucy really does Not like dogs and she is got one serious headbutt. She got him so bad his feet actually left the ground and that dog had to of been 60 to 70 pounds. He ran off with a slight limp whimpering.

 

[Birdsong 82]

LOL! You have to wonder about your magic neighbor! This is only our 3rd year with chickens. After the raccoon killing, two of our lovely ladies (Rosie and Bella) were free ranging during the day in the back open area near our house. We had always allowed the girls to free range when we were home during the day and had never experienced negative consequences. They used to follow us along with the dog and the cat on walks through the woods. That day, I was napping and heard a couple of loud squawks. The dog was with me and she didn't react so I thought it was just the girls fussing at each other. About an hour later, my husband was in the back and called for me to look at a couple of piles of feathers. We couldn't find Rosie or Bella. Then we found them both beheaded in the woods. We later determined that it was a pair of red tailed hawks that came hunting through. The hens proved to be too heavy for them to carry intact back to their nests. It was spring and we understand that they hunt to feed their hatched young more aggressively during this time of year. The hawks came back a week later when we were watching over our hens ranging in the meadow and RIGHT IN FRONT OF US AND THE DOG, swooped down an tried to pick off two more of them.
Now we no longer alllow them to free range. In addition to our secure run, we have a hatch leading to a 1200 sq ft fenced area covered with trees and bushes where they can range during the day. We are in process of placing slender roping at 3 ft intervals over the top of that area as an extra precaution against swooping predators.
All in all, we are happy with our set up now although I miss the "herd" of hens racing down the driveway when I exit our house.

I’m sorry about your girls. That is the hard part is I think almost all of us want to be able to free range chickens but depending on our area or set up or whatever it may be sometimes it’s not possible. But as long as they’re safe happy and healthy I guess that’s what really matters

 

[townchicks]

Agreed - she used to put it out for the birds to eat. I thought about getting her a small galvanized steel container, but the problem is - there's not much readily available that's actually considered "Coon-Proof"

How about a small metal filing cabinet with a lock. It can stay on the deck, and she won't have to go inside to get the seed, but I don't think a raccoon could get inside, as long as she doesn't leave the key in the lock.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Agreed - she used to put it out for the birds to eat. I thought about getting her a small galvanized steel container, but the problem is - there's not much readily available that's actually considered "Coon-Proof" My dad used to work at Mammoth Cave National Park and the park spent a LOT of money to finally get trash bins that were "Coon-Proof".

I'm going to continue to watch and see if it's disturbed or if it stops. If it stops, I'll see if she'll let me move the container to her garage, or put it out in feeders for her so she can watch the birds.

Even if you bought her one labeled coon proof That means nothing. The container is that say cool proof now I laugh at. We’ve tried several different brands and after enough trying they find a way to get in there. To the point where we had to put weight in the bottom so they won’t knock it over in several bungee cords on the top and then it goes in the shed. If anyone knows of a coon proof feed bucket that actually works please let me know

 

[ChickaMama49]

Kessel - first, I'm so sorry for your loss! Like you, I take my duties as protector of my flock very serious. So many people get into raising chickens but really don't know all the down sides to animal husbandry. My rooster is great at alerting me during the day and I know he'll die to protect his girls..but ultimately, I'm the one who has to protect them all. It's especially challenging with a nocturnal predator!

I see the other user has deleted their post - I do understand that some people are offended by this. I guess those same people would not like to know that I'm preparing to process a RIR in my flock because she's a bully. The last straw for me was when she bullied my EE girl to the point of death. Some folks just don't seem to really be acclimated for keeping livestock.

I had a RIR or a Production Red I’m not sure which she was but she was so mean I now have a scar on my foot. She met her fate when she decided to attack our dog. I was going to put her in the crock pot though! It was after her I decided I’d never feed or own a mean hen again. Nope. I fully support your decision.

 

[techbsmith]

How about a small metal filing cabinet with a lock. It can stay on the deck, and she won't have to go inside to get the seed, but I don't think a raccoon could get inside, as long as she doesn't leave the key in the lock.

I might look for one of those at goodwill and see if I can pick up one that's fairly cheap. Of course, I'd rather get the seed moved inside so it's not attracting them in the first place :/

 

[Redhead Rae]

We've been having trouble with coons getting into my mom's potted plans (my parents live next door) and stealing stuff from our gut bucket (a plastic bucket with holes on the side and bottom to turn guts and dead things into maggots for the chickens to enjoy), which is too close to our chickens. We set out 8 Duke traps and caught 9 coons over the space of a little more than a week. We never caught more than 2 coons a night though. We've taken the traps down because the neighbors know too much and have started talking. Also it isn't the official season for them. We don't want DNR (Department of Natural Resources) on our case. We'll be resetting the trap line during the season (Dec-Feb) to get as many of them as we can. However, with how brazen these coons were, I wasn't waiting until December to start trapping them.

Thirdly, how the heck would one release a coon from a DP without being shredded?

I saw someone on youtube use a pitchfork to do it. He put the coons leg between the tines of the pitchfork, held the coon to the ground with the fork and the paw with the trap sticking out and released the leg and jumped away after the coon was loose. The coon just ran off as soon as it was free.