Raccoons!!!!!!!!

[maralynn28]

Saturday Duck #1(Luna, may she RIP) completely vanished without a trace, last night our mighty "Darthvader" (who thinks she's a drake) sounded the alarm...upon opening the door, my dog Lola took off beeline to the duck pen and fought off 3 raccoons causing it to let go of Duck #2 "Bolt" who got away with minimal injuries. I should have realized it was a raccoon when the first duck vanished but there was absolutely NO trace, not even a loose feather left behind and I had always heard that raccoons were vicious killers.

Ok, so ducks are locked up at sunset but sunset has been coming EARLIER and EARLIER each night. Is it really ok to lock ducks in from 9am to 4pm when that is the extent of daylight hours?

If so, there is still the issue of my dog who has been getting locked inside at sunset also because she's been scuffling with the raccoons and getting badly injured. Now I realize she's been guarding the ducks (GREAT DOG!) but I'm afraid for her safety as well since she is a Rat Terrier and about the same size as those mean masked bandits.

I've realized the only solution is to get rid of the raccoons...
I know the only way to guarantee the raccoons are gone is to kill them, but I really can't do that. I can't even kill a mouse in a mouse trap. It's so bad I actually spent 50$ on a rat zapper to humanely kill them without having to see them, since I can't stand seeing them in glue traps or regular snap traps and even then I still feel guilty for taking an innocent life. I have issues eating things that can "see" me. It's something I'm working on...but in the meantime how the heck am I supposed to kill a raccoon?!? Especially the baby ones!!

I was thinking of getting electric fencing, but how will that affect the ducks and my dog? At the feed store they have deer repellent which claims to repel raccoons also...has anyone had positive experience with that? I was thinking of some kind of poison food but then I'd have to fear the ducks/ dog or other animals that I actually LIKE eating it.

Darn raccoons, I'd be willing to buy them food and feed them if it meant they would leave my pets alone!!!!!! (but yes, I know that would only make the situation worse) I did also searched the BYC site for "raccoon" and found many creative ways of killing them, I just know I can't do it.

I'd really appreciate some help. Thanks.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

maralynn,

i feel your pain. i cannot kill anything either, so i leave that up to DH. I do the trapping and he takes care of the critter for me. my hens are my pets and i just cannot lose another to a coon or possum (i have lost 4 hens and a roo to possums and coons). i also have put up 4 of the niteguards. they have really helped. but i still set my trap and occasionally will get a coon or possum -- even a cat or two. poison to me is out of questions, there are too many of my critters running around that could get into the poison or eat the animal who ate the poison.

i have used motion lights at the coop, have left a radio going on the back porch and left the porch light on before and when my dogs hear something outside i do not hesitate to let them out, unless i have heard coyotes running.

good luck and sorry for your loss

 

[maralynn28]

Thank you loving lady,
We don't even own any guns or anything but after talking to the dept of wildlife I think we will get some bb/ pellet/ paint guns or something and use the raccoons for target practice before moving up to the real deal, then we'll have to deal with permits and all that. They said we are allowed to trap and kill but not to relocate, I know that has been issues for others so was wondering what the law is here. I agree about the poison, it was a thought but there is no way to keep the other animals out and if losing a duck is painful enough, I could never forgive myself if I lost my pup to accidental poisoning. They also gave me name and number of someone who will perform the trap and kill service to me but I wonder what that will cost and how long we'd have to do that if new raccoons move in (also I know there are at least 3-4 of them right now!). I think I'll be looking into tougher fencing and electric fence also as that might be cheaper than the service and longer lasting. Wonder how much these 3 quacky girls will be worth after all this moolah we shell out to keep them safe. They better start laying golden eggs. ha ha

 

[jhm47]

If you've got 3 - 4 coons and a rat terrier, it's just a matter of time till the coons graduate from ducks to dog. We have a couple RT's, and they are always tangling with things that would be better left alone. In fact, my male tangled with a coyote a couple weeks ago and is just now getting back to normal. You have little choice but to either get out of the duck/dog business or to learn to humanely dispatch those coons. Lights, radios, fences, etc all sound good, but coons are extremely clever and will soon find a way to get around your best laid plans. Good luck!

 

[herefordlovinglady]

You will never see that golden egg -- sorry.

jhm is absolutely correct in the fact that those coons are pretty clever animals. they will figure out any tricks you have up your sleeve. that's why i keep my traps set. maybe you can trap them and the service can dispatch them for you. just a thought. do you have any neighbors that could take care of them for you?

 

[Liamm_1]

I'd like to know if they are coming onto your property during daylight or darkness.
Also, I second the notion of trapping them, and finding someone to kill them for you.
Do NOT feel remorse for killing something that has or will attack(ed) your animals, they are your first priority.

 

[bufforphfan]

I have 8 hens that roost in a 2ftX2ftX8ft long coop made of 1/2" plywood, that sits 3ft off of the ground. They come up the ramp when it gets dark and enter the coop through the a trap door. The other night, I failed to lock the door and a racoon figured out how to open the door and get inside to the hens. Fortunatly, I was able to get to the coop quickly when the hens started making a ruckus. I was yelling and the hens were squawking! I shined a light inside the coop and I saw a racoon running like mad from one end of the coop to the other, looking for a way out. The door had shut behind the racoon and it could not find the door. Fearing that it would kill a chicken, I opened the trap door and allowed it to escape. The following night, the racoon was unable to gain entry again, so it went to a rabbit hutch that I had converted to a chicken pen and that held a pretty mean bantam rooster. That coop was also off of the ground, and the roo was in one of the upper berths. The coop had four compartments with two doors. The door on the side that did not contain the rooster was left unlocked. The coon entered through the unlocked door, squeezed through a small hole between the upper two compartments, into the roosters cage. Nothing but feathers were left the next morning! I have a coon trap set now, and am also going to install an electric charger and string wire around the peremiter of the run. Besides being ficious killers, racoons are also smart and they can manipulate things with their paws. Rat Terriers have no fear. I do not know what a coon would do to your terrier but I think the terrier would loose.

 

[drumstick diva]

I know how some people feel about poison - the worry that something else will eat it. But what about once you trap the coon, give him poison. I know you can't shoot them but, couldn't you get some tainted food thru the cage bars and walk off. Just a thought. I couldn't kill an animal either and have no one that would do it for me. Of course even dead you'd have to dispose of him .

 

[boykin2010]

Could u get a dog just for watch out for your chickens like a bigger dog that could take on 3 or 4 raccoons and coyotes. ie German Shepherd mastiff pitbull or something.
if you cant do that trap the coon and keep it in a cage like a rabbit hutch for a while and get the word out you have a raccoon to your neighbors ( not sure if you live in the country) but around here some people would LOVE to have a racoon dinner and will PAY you for him.

I have a family of racoons in my backyard a momma and 3 babies. it is only a matter of time before they attack my hens! But i have PLENTY of guns so that wont be a problem for me i am used to killing things for a living. But seriously trap the raccoon and get the word out and someone will Pay you for him. Everybody wins you have happy hens you make some money and a friend gets a racoon dinner...

 

[maizey]

If you do a search in your state and county, you might be able to find several wild life services that specialize in rehabilitation and legal relocation of problem/injured animals. I just did the same and was surprised at how many i found... never really looked before. Apparently its not illleagle to relocate in my area...good to know

Id feel bad for blasting the brains out of an animal thats just being an animal....racoons eat chicken, for that matter so do I, I just let someone else rip its head and feathers off for me before it comes through the drive through window.