Raccoons!

[Barbours]

We had a massacre on Monday night. Something killed 3 of my chickens. It was awful! We live in a horse community in southern California. 23 years of keeping chickens and I have never had to lock up my chickens at night. We immediately put up a camera and figured a way to lock everyone up. Last night I finally saw the culprits. Raccoons! I've never seen one here, others have, but I guess I've been lucky. I saw two in my videos.
Should I trap and release? I read they can travel 10 miles in a night and come back. Should I leave them and just continue to lock the girls up (I will continue to lock them up anyway in case more show up).
What would you

We had a massacre on Monday night. Something killed 3 of my chickens. It was awful! We live in a horse community in southern California. 23 years of keeping chickens and I have never had to lock up my chickens at night. We immediately put up a camera and figured a way to lock everyone up. Last night I finally saw the culprits. Raccoons! I've never seen one here, others have, but I guess I've been lucky. I saw two in my videos.
Should I trap and release? I read they can travel 10 miles in a night and come back. Should I leave them and just continue to lock the girls up (I will continue to lock them up anyway in case more show up).
What would you do?

You can either cage them and bring them somewhere else. Or of you see them pop them in the butt with a BB gun a couple of times and they don't usually come back.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I edited my first to delete my opinion and add further advise. Hope this helps the OP in their situation.

 

[mowin]

They live in a horse community, so maybe that's not an option. I think people should offer other advice just in case this isn't feasible...just saying .

Never heard of a horse community. Around here if you have horses, you've got acreage.

Many creative ways to eliminate. I'm fortunate enough to be able to open the sliding door and shoot.

I also didn't say others shouldn't offer advice.

 

[Everose]

In my experience raccoons are more likely to eat feed and eggs than kill chickens. I've had raccoons living in my backyard trees for six years and they've never killed a bird. I would recommend locking up your chickens and putting up the feed, they'll lose interest eventually.

I personally only keep mine around because they are very friendly and I don't want more aggressive coons moving into their territory. If you live in their backyard you will never completely get rid of them, better to teach them that there's nothing to be eaten in your coop than to relocate them and make them someone else's problem.

 

[mowin]

In my experience raccoons are more likely to eat feed and eggs than kill chickens. I've had raccoons living in my backyard trees for six years and they've never killed a bird. I would recommend locking up your chickens and putting up the feed, they'll lose interest eventually.
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I personally only keep mine around because they are very friendly and I don't want more aggressive coons moving into their territory. If you live in their backyard you will never completely get rid of them, better to teach them that there's nothing to be eaten in your coop than to relocate them and make them someone else's problem.

No way would I want them hanging around. Rabies and other diseases are always a possibility. I also wouldn't want them to get used to people. That's what makes them more bold and potentially aggressive.

 

[Everose]

No way would I want them hanging around.

I encourage mine to stick around, but that may not be for everyone, which is why I said to keep food and eggs put up. They don't become a nuisance unless they find food. They'll probably never leave the area no matter how many you shoot, if there's acreage and ample living space they'll always occupy the area.

Rabies and other diseases are always a possibility.

According to the CDC only one person has ever died from a rabid raccoon attack. The signs of rabies are pretty obvious, and the chances of a rat, mouse, or snail carrying another type of disease far outweigh the chances of a raccoon carrying one even though raccoons eat all of those pests and some.

I also wouldn't want them to get used to people. That's what makes them more bold and potentially aggressive.

Not necessarily. Mine are not afraid of me, they hang out with me in the car port while I scoop feed, and then they clean up what I drop, but they will not get close to me, and i never encourage them to. They are still just as wild and cautious about people, they wouldn't be comfortable with a stranger, and I know them well enough to tell if something was off about one of them.
Raccoons that eat your animals, break into coops, growl, or rush at you should be put down. But in my experience if they keep mostly to themselves they are just fine to keep around.

 

[mowin]

I encourage mine to stick around, but that may not be for everyone, which is why I said to keep food and eggs put up. They don't become a nuisance unless they find food. They'll probably never leave the area no matter how many you shoot, if there's acreage and ample living space they'll always occupy the area.

According to the CDC only one person has ever died from a rabid raccoon attack. The signs of rabies are pretty obvious, and the chances of a rat, mouse, or snail carrying another type of disease far outweigh the chances of a raccoon carrying one even though raccoons eat all of those pests and some.

Not necessarily. Mine are not afraid of me, they hang out with me in the car port while I scoop feed, and then they clean up what I drop, but they will not get close to me, and i never encourage them to. They are still just as wild and cautious about people, they wouldn't be comfortable with a stranger, and I know them well enough to tell if something was off about one of them.
Raccoons that eat your animals, break into coops, growl, or rush at you should be put down. But in my experience if they keep mostly to themselves they are just fine to keep around.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[TOR]

They live in a horse community, so maybe that's not an option. I think people should offer other advice just in case this isn't feasible...just saying .

Rule number 1 Coop and run predator proof. everything likes chicken.
If you have rule number 1 dont need rule number 2.

 

[Penpal]

Evadig, I did offer offer advice.

 

[Evadig]

Evadig, I did offer offer advice.

I know, I was referring to those who only gave the advice of shooting the raccoon. 'Cause there was at least three of them and only one of you so maybe the OP missed yours. I didn't mean to get on y'all's case, it just seemed that most people just think of their own situation and don't stop to consider that the OP's might be different...