Radio to deter?

[chickengeorgeto]

There is a Federal program intended to quash rabies in the Raccoon population. This program spreads oral rabies vaccines in broad bands by both land and by air from North to South. This well meaning program is not working out mostly because well meaning but completely IGNORANT people are slepping coons from farm to farm, township to township, county to county and from state to state in the ignorant belief that they are some how helping the coon population. Every time a captive or trapped raccoon is relocated there is a very good chance that the coon you are transporting has been exposed to rabies and that this exposed coon will go on to reinfect or spread rabies back into a part of the environment from which rabies has just recently been purged. It is a requirement that the various state government must criminalize the transport and relocation of live coons in order for these state governments to collect their share of the Pittman Robinson Act tax that is returned to the State Governments each year.

Coons do not live in peaceful communities playing checkers with the Unicorns, but rather coons live in lose colonies where the local coon population is in constant contact and and conflict with other members of the local coon population. In other words they have the perfect opportunity to spread rabies. One reason that most of us fail to recognize this fact is because coons use latrines like hollow trees, attics, crawl spaces etc to defecate in. So the true number of coons living around you is somewhat obscured. The life that you save may in fact be your own child's.

http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/environmental-epidemiology/rabies-control/oral-rabies-vaccine-project/

 

[True Patriot]

As long as the raccoons have an easy meal they will stay.. and breed. If it was in the rafters when you closed up for the night it already feels safe and considers it habitable. You are left with a hard choice here. If you are unable to kill them then they have to be "reprogrammed" that your yard and coop aren't for them. All of the other suggestions, electric fence, moving food sources etc. are sound advice. Unfortunately they may not be enough. Losses to predators isn't uncommon. Having one potentially living in the coop is extremely disturbing. It not only poses a threat to the animals but it is a threat to humans. The rabies mentioned earlier is one problem. Another is a cornered racoon will fight. They can inflict serious injury to an adult and be devastating to children. Most repellant products just signal "meal" to a raccoon, deterrent will probably have to be through pain conditioning. Best choice is electric. Along with the perimeter I would run some wires in the rafters. I wish you luck in getting this resolved without more losses.

 

[crc310]

From what I’ve been able to find, MI doesn’t do rabies vaccine drops. Read a while back how they r causing rabies... (that’s a whole other discussion for another forum on another day). I’m being more vigilant and keeping an eye out for her. Would like to get a camera in there (and a speaker!). Thankfully the coon doesn’t live in the rafters. It’s all open, coop is a 10’x10’ wooden shed. There’s a roost, hanging feeder, waterer sitting on a milk crate with a cinder block to stand on to drink and an old rabbit cage on wheels (empty, broody breaker) and a dog crate stored folded up. She climbed up the dog crate to the ceiling then went into the empty rafters. The coop looks like a skeleton. I don’t like clutter in the coop. Makes it easier to clean and they have more space.

 

[crc310]

Thanks everyone for the info! I appreciate it!!

 

[RWise]

My dogs help keep coons out, but a dog or dogs, would need training as well. They also killed an adult coon,,,, my tag team,,,
I understand not wanting to kill the wild life, I think if one is going to kill animals it should be for food. (I dont care for coon) However, I draw the line at my fence, all predators, wild or domesticated, must stay on the other side of it.
Good Luck!

 

[crc310]

Update! I haven’t seen any coons lately! As in the past, they have nothing to eat, they move on. I caught her several times by or walking toward the coop and scared her off. Guess she got tired of not knowing if I’m gonna be there. I have t done anything different otherwise. I would rather have a coon stick around that knows she can’t get food here than a new one trying to figure it out. I did a lot of research about all the suggestions and really appreciate your feedback! Thank you!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have a shed for a coop along side our tree line (old pic). It has a sliding glass door. Our chickens are free range so it sits open all day. We put them away before dark. We have had issues with raccoons in the past. A raccoon is occasionally seen during the day inside eating the food and eggs). Can I have a radio playing (talk?) 24/7 to keep them from giving inside? Maybe a scarecrow too?

That might work better to deter a human prowler than a raccoon because what is not raccoons think. Raccoons don't thank in logical circles like humans. Coons just act and hope that action results in a meal.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Take my word for it. If there is one coon on your place there are any where from 4 or 5 up to several dozen, see post #11.