Raccoons

[aprophet]

Quote:
cherokee national forest don't help y,all none and the ditches /creeks you have running through town are probably full of coon and possums

 

[Lollipop]

Why are you tired of trapping, it`s your hubby that`s on trap duty. As for another solution, the only one I can think of is to feed them chicken til the chicken is all gone.......Pop

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

Be nice, Pop. Some of us are new to this.

I have 2 more in traps today and I really don't want to shoot them. I was raised that you don't kill something unless you are going to eat it. I know they kill the things I want to eat, but it's hard to wrap my mind about this as it seems wasteful to kill and not make some use of the critters.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
Hmmm, I thought I was nice. Anyway, "don`t kill anything unless you are going to eat it", is a great phylosphy. I live by that, until it comes to war, or my fowl. You can`t talk coons, etc. outta killing what belongs to you and it`s your responsibility to protect your animals. they trust you for it. You kill my animals, ya gotta deal with me. You kill Americans, I`m all over ya. There I go again, sounding cruel, but I don`t mean to. Just a fact of life.........Pop

 

[Tiffrz-N-Kidz]

I think Felicia is just tired of the killing because even though someone else is doing the killing it still is upsetting to the rest of the family. My daughter is working through her issues with this as well. She's 11. She knows the coons killed her birds, but she still hates that I am killing the coons.

And yes, I hear you on the "mess with mine, you have messed with me" thing. I'm a single Mom. Mess with my kids and you see a side of me you only suspect I have. I am protective of my animals as well, but I wonder if making a stronger coop is a better option for me than simply trapping and killing every coon that is wandering by. Killing them upsets me and if I kill them what's to keep more from moving in and taking their place?

 

[oldchickenman1]

Tiff
Most of all the problems with predators that do not fly can be solved with a single strand electric fence. I am builing a coop and run fairly predator proof but I had always planned on adding the electric fence as a safety measure. I lived on a farm most of my life and the electric fence was the best tool we had to keep animals in and predators out. But I had an episode with my implanted defibillator
recently and today the Dr informed me that I need to keep the device 12 inches away from the fence and 24 inches away from the charger and if I accidently get shocked that it would probably destroy the device. So after all the accidents I have had over the years of getting shocked I will not be using the electric fence but you may want to consider one for your problem with coons.

Herman

 

[Ole rooster]

Has anyone tried a poisoned egg in the trap to kill the coon? I've killed possum that way. I had a possum kill two on my White Rock hens settin on 10 eggs. They were on the ground cause they were so heavy, elevation was not an option.

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
It`s always been my opinion that farm life, even a little backyard chicken farm, is great for teaching kids to deal with real life problems, like death. Death of pets and chickens, even death of predators helps kids and adults to deal with death of family members and friends. Whenever I see or read of school kids that need counseling to deal with the loss of a friend, my opinion is reinforced, at least in my mind. I understand how Felicia feels and how your 11 year old feels, but these experiences will make them stronger. We can make these things easier on them by playing them down as facts of life.

With chickens being close to the bottom of the food chain, even the best precautions we can take will sometimes fail, and yes, more will move in to face the same fate, but we can`t give up and we must continue to protect what is ours. I wish you and your daughter well as you face these life issues........Pop

 

[Lollipop]

Quote:
I don`t think elevation is an option with a setting hen. Gotta consider the chicks access to the nest for the first week or so. I`ve used poison, at times, when all else fails. generally I keep a live trap set 24/7 baited with a couple whole eggs. Most predators will take an easy meal befor they tackle wire.........Pop

 

[Dogfish]

I have a strong coop, electric fence, and an auto door and still need to trap and shoot.

If you are literally over run with predators, which it sounds like, you have two choices, control them or stop raising birds. Predators will test your defenses, and the minute you forget to lock a gate, or close a door, they will get your birds.

I would never poison personally. The opportunity for unintended casualties is too great. A trap or a bullet to me is more certain.