Recent Raccoon issue and what I did.

[ashcons]

I cant belive that before I had chickens I thought those things were cute.

Not surprising; they have one of the largest businesses in the world (Disney) running PR for them.

 

[FBMcrazy8]

We tried on multiple occasions to trap ours to relocate, but they never went near the trap.

We are in a battle with one that will go near the traps, but is so big with the one my brother gave us to use that his butt is holding the door open. I was hoping to catch him doing it so I could pop him in the butt with a bb and he would go in there…BUT NOOO….after I figured out what he was doing he wasn’t showing up until like 2 in the morning. But I have been dealing with them ever since I was little so I have my ways and I will get him….hopefully before the chickens go outside. We do have the coop secure really good though…hopefully enough to keep him out until we get him to a new location

 

[FBMcrazy8]

Don't relocate them. You need to take them ten miles away, whereupon they are somebody else's problem - - gee, thanks. Either shoot them while they are still in the trap, or drown them while they are still in the trap. I know it sounds horrid, but it is much faster than cancer, a bad shot, or distemper.

Raccoons typically come out at dusk. If your chickens' coop is behind an electric fence they are safe.

Raccoons will keep coming back too if you don’t get them far enough away. But also if it’s a momma it has babies not far that will become a problem. I have a big heart for the babies. I had one growing up. But I also coon hunted so… a little tug of war there . Luckily I have a lake not far from me that is a state park/woods that I will be taking mine to.

 

[ashcons]

There are a few reasons that animal relocation is not legal (dad worked for a state wildlife management/conservation department):

1) Animals are territorial and moving one animal to another's territory means displacement and fighting as animals move to establish control,

2) disease transmission

There are probably more, but those are the two I recall him talking about. Better to secure your birds and leave the raccoons be or just take them out humanely.

 

[808inVA]

Don't relocate them. You need to take them ten miles away, whereupon they are somebody else's problem - - gee, thanks. Either shoot them while they are still in the trap, or drown them while they are still in the trap. I know it sounds horrid, but it is much faster than cancer, a bad shot, or distemper.

Raccoons typically come out at dusk. If your chickens' coop is behind an electric fence they are safe.

This...raccoons are extremely intelligent and will not fall for the same trick twice. If you relocated a raccoon that you caught in a box trap, the person that inherits the pest will have a much tougher time catching or killing that raccoon.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Sounds like you need to hire a coon dog. I am also in racoon country, trapping hardly works anymore. Only thing that works is keeping coops super secure and killing the little devils as we see 'em. The dogs do good work!

 

[Campesina]

We tried on multiple occasions to trap ours to relocate, but they never went near the trap.

They like marshmallows. Had a trap out for about 5 days before we caught one.