Raccoons

[Farm Frenzy]

Just killed my favorite blue silkie..

. I have never had a problem with raccoons until now. how do I get rid of them? I know now they know that the chickens are there, they are gonna keep coming back until all are dead.

 

[swampwander]

Do you put your chickens up in a secure location at night?? This is important. You can get rid of what is there now, but if you don't take any steps to fix housing issues, you'll keep loosing birds no matter how many raccons you think you've eliminated. There is always one looking for that easy meal. Once you get housing straightened out, you can trap them or shoot them, depending on where you live. But, understand, as long as we humans leave forage out in the open for them (trash cans, primarily), they will continue to reproduce and rear to adulthood in numbers greater than those found in nature and you will see new coons.

 

[gkeesling]

I had a racoon problem when I found critters were getting into my barn and eating from my feed bags. I got a live trap and started setting it at night. Over the next year. I caught 22 raccoons, 4 stray cats, 3 opposums, and one skunk. Some of the critters got relocated when I had the time to take them at least 10 miles away. If I couldn't make the trip then I had to dispatch them. You can always set baited traps outside of your coop. You will eventually reduce the population in your immediate area so that they won't be as much of a problem.

 

[Orpingtonman]

Agree with swamp, u got to secure the coop first then take care of the pests. one thing about that, relocating doesn't do much good. They almost always return. I learned the hard way and it drove me to a "dispatch" only way of doing things. It's bad but it works. Good luck

 

[Farm Frenzy]

No they are definitely up at night. I know that there's always been raccoons around my pens at night, but they've never been able to actually get in. I don't know how they managed to last night. my coops are two horse stalls converted for chickens with wire and the whole nine yards. I even dug about a foot down and buried boards, just so nothing could dig. After the coons got inside, they managed to open the door and let the others out. I guess that's a good thing, because my blue was the only one that got caught. THAT"S IT I'm standing guard tonight...me and my 223!!!

 

[Lobzi]

My sis had a bunch of silkies that were eventually killed by coons. She claims that the raccoons were able to spring the chain-link gate just enough to squeeze in but could not get out. She found them and the carnage the next morning. They are very skilled predators Im guessing. Check your gate for it security. My method is simple for seems to be effective. I have raccoons playing around on my back porch at least a few times a week and I have seen them spread-eagle on my pen looking in, but never have they actually got in. I put a piece of re-bar in the ground and I slide a cinderblock over the re-bar. This blocks the door at the bottom. Then at the top I have a wire loop that holds the door tight against the pen side. Around the bottom of the pen/coop area I abutted plywood so nothing can dig in. So far so good. The coons dont even try anymore (I have a motion light that clicks on with movement around the pen too).

 

[Lollipop]

Until last fall I lived on a coon highway. Developement in the area kept them moving right through my chicken yard. My solution was a live trap and a .22 rifle. I baited the trap with a couple whole eggs and dispatched coons, possums, foxes, and even a bobcat over the years. The eggs don`t need to be replaced unless they catch something and they don`t draw ants. The .22 uses CB short ammo and sounds like a twig snapping. Shoot them in the center of the head and they go down fast. Very humane. Do not relocate. Old time cockers will swear that relocated coons find their way back. Anyone that keeps chickens must have a live trap and a gun. No exceptions.

 

[bluey]

the more lead, the less said...

 

[miss_jayne]

Quote:
bluey, it looks like our services are needed asap. must eradicate the varmints!


so sorry your chicken was taken, Farm Frenzy. get them. get them good.

 

[rockabilly7]

Ive never had a coon problem or anything else ever and i keep my flock locked in a coop at night but i also leave tuna or stinky cat food right at the edge of the woods near my coop. I just figured that they would rather take an easy meal than try to catch and eat a chicken so far it has worked.