Raccoons

[Eps32]

I have electric fence around my coops so no raccoon problems but before that I must of killed 15 trapped them at night and a quick 22 shot to the head in the mourning and buried the guy

 

[jeria]

Keep in mind dig and also chew through all kinds of materials. My neighbor lost her teen chicks the first night in their chain link run as the coons dug under her fence. They moved into my attic through a small siding that slipped on a fake chimney. The actually ate through the wood siding and bent steel siding. By the time we caught them, 1st step, I had $8000 worth of damage. Around my pen I'm putting a skirt of hardware cloth and using some welded rabbit fencing layered in it to prevent digging. Should also stop my pups who just love to dig. Newbie basically, had an entire larger young flock killed years ago because I used chicken wire--didn't know any better then.

 

[Howard E]

I'm devastated.. our favorite hen, Sylvia, was recently killed by the local raccoons. They tore through our chicken wire and got inside the run, then inside the coop. What hurts the most is that raccoons only kill chickens for sport.. they don't actually eat them.

We patched the hole and my neighbors who also love our chickens, have been helping to lock up the coop at night and unlock it in the morning. However, the raccoons terrorize my chickens every night. My son spent all night chasing them off -- they're huge and relentless.

I also heard from some of my local friends, that I'm not the only one being terrorized by them right now..

Do any of you have any methods for deterring them, that actually works? Short of rebuilding our entire setup, I don't know how to prevent what's happening. We're only going to be able to keep the girls for about another year and I want to protect them as best I can between now and then.

Leha:

Here is my method of keeping the girls safe, and I live in an area with an abundance of coons and just about every other predator going. The coons are nightly visitors to the horse barn out back......no more than 100 feet or so from the chicken house. A den of foxes on the other side and coyotes running around all over the place. Still......no birds lost. None. And I never have reason or need to kill anything. They pretty much leave everything alone around here.

Secret is no secret at all, really.........simply a sturdy, predator proof coop that no animal short of a determined bear is going to break into that protects the birds from things that go bump in the night. That means sturdy wire and good latches and a dig proof apron. Then a perimeter of electric fence that keeps predators at arm's length day and night. The electric fence is the secret if there is one. The ultimate barrier that stops all traffic in and out. But otherwise, that's it.

 

[ChickEchick]

Found a young Raccoon in my chicken yard last night - I've seen older ones for years lost one chicken about two years ago - have always assumed a Raccoon. Last night I piled lots of Cinder block and tree limbs (heavy ones) to the base of coop in a hasty attempt to ward off another loss. I could tell this morning he had been back and tried to dig under some of my Barricade - admittedly the least secure area.

Question: I have a trap and plan to catch and release...... HOW Far away do I need to take it?

 

[Eps32]

Found a young Raccoon in my chicken yard last night - I've seen older ones for years lost one chicken about two years ago - have always assumed a Raccoon. Last night I piled lots of Cinder block and tree limbs (heavy ones) to the base of coop in a hasty attempt to ward off another loss. I could tell this morning he had been back and tried to dig under some of my Barricade - admittedly the least secure area.

Question: I have a trap and plan to catch and release...... HOW Far away do I need to take it?

In most states it's illegal and inhuman to take a rocoon from its territory and relocate it to another it will be killed or give some else problems I suggest you trap and put it down

 

[Eps32]

In most states it's illegal and inhuman to take a rocoon from its territory and relocate it to another it will be killed or give some else problems I suggest you trap and put it down

It's like having an aggressive rooster and giving it to someone and not telling them it's aggressive your just giving your problem to someone else and relocating it it will most likely be brutally killed by whatever raccoons own the territory you put it in

 

[ChickEchick]

Thanks...... I really do hate to kill anything......

I'll work on Coop Fortification. What I have now has worked for over three years (the one we lost was the result of not getting the coop door shut early enough) time for some upgrades!!! Glad we have a long weekend!

 

[Eps32]

Thanks...... I really do hate to kill anything......

I'll work on Coop Fortification. What I have now has worked for over three years (the one we lost was the result of not getting the coop door shut early enough) time for some upgrades!!! Glad we have a long weekend!

I also hate to kill anything but I've done so on my homestead for the good of the family the best way to keep predators out is for sur a great predator proof coop and I use electric fencing around my coops also I have a German Shepard that I've trained since a pup to protect my animals and she loves her work she brings me rabbits and possums and she's gotten a few raccoons but if you do end up having a problem trapping it and a quick 22 shot to the head is very quick and painless for the animal good luck

 

[Eps32]

This is my guard dog. But you have to train them from a pup. She lets nothing get into the area. The one day way took her to the vet for her yearly visit. I lost 20 hens to a pit bull. My brother was suppose to put them up and didn't. Now I have her and electric fence around everything to prevent anything again.

 

[islandfarmer]

I'm devastated.. our favorite hen, Sylvia, was recently killed by the local raccoons. They tore through our chicken wire and got inside the run, then inside the coop. What hurts the most is that raccoons only kill chickens for sport.. they don't actually eat them.

We patched the hole and my neighbors who also love our chickens, have been helping to lock up the coop at night and unlock it in the morning. However, the raccoons terrorize my chickens every night. My son spent all night chasing them off -- they're huge and relentless.

I also heard from some of my local friends, that I'm not the only one being terrorized by them right now..

Do any of you have any methods for deterring them, that actually works? Short of rebuilding our entire setup, I don't know how to prevent what's happening. We're only going to be able to keep the girls for about another year and I want to protect them as best I can between now and then.

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I have also felt the pain of coming into a pen with dead birds and have declared war on the coons in our barn. I've had luck with a hot wire around the perimeter of the pen placed about a foot off the ground and 6 inches from the pen. You can find solar units that work great for a small area. Also spraying hot pepper spray may help deter them but you have to spray it often and after any rain. They are buggers and very persistent and smart. Good luck