Relentless raccoon

[ChickieChick11]

Hi all,

We have a camera in our backyard to monitor our chicken coop. For about a month now, the same raccoon has been visiting our coop almost every single night. I’ve tried yelling at it, throwing things (missed), installing motion lights.... it’s determined. It hasn’t figured out how to break into my coop (we’ve put a lot of work into making sure it’s secure) but I’m honestly just tired of worrying that it’s gonna figure out how to get in.

What’s the best method for deterring it? I don’t want to kill it. I also don’t want to spray pungent stuff around my coop or hang ammonia rags. Anyone had luck with electric wire or something of the type? I could trap but I feel like another nuisance animal would just take it’s place.

All suggestions welcome!

 

[Jt and Chicks]

Me and my family can trap it for you. We coon hunt so we could train some pups with it we wont kill it. Depends on where you live too

 

[aart]

Anyone had luck with electric wire or something of the type?

Electric wire can be very effective.
Here's good place to start learning about what to use and how to set it up:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-treatise-on-electric-fences-for-poultry.72229/

 

[humblehillsfarm]

I'd start with electric wire and if that doesn't work, wait a few months and relocate. I only say wait a few months because it likely has babies. Which means, more raccoon problems. I love raccoons, but my chickens would of course take priority!

 

[alwaysthere4chickens]

yes, you can try trapping it with a live animal trap. like this-

 

[ChickieChick11]

Electric wire can be very effective.
Here's good place to start learning about what to use and how to set it up:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/a-treatise-on-electric-fences-for-poultry.72229/

Very helpful, thank you

 

[ChickieChick11]

I'd start with electric wire and if that doesn't work, wait a few months and relocate. I only say wait a few months because it likely has babies. Which means, more raccoon problems. I love raccoons, but my chickens would of course take priority!

Hadn’t even thought about babies! I’ll keep that in mind in case it is the mother

 

[waytomanychickens]

Hadn’t even thought about babies! I’ll keep that in mind in case it is the mother

electric fence is your best [non lethal] way to keep it away. female raccoons are MUCH more aggressive than males when it comes to food, by this time of year if it is female it will be trying to wean its kits and to eat enough to regain the weight it lost nursing them.raccoons will follow the smell of food up to a mile so if you get the chance to relocate it go fairly far away

 

[Folly's place]

Electric fencing is the best method, if it's legal where you live.
DO NOT trap and release!!! Only trap if you will shoot, because that raccoon wants chicken, and will never enter a trap again.
Here in Michigan, and in many/ most states, it's illegal to release such critters, except on your same property, or on private land within the same county with landowner permission.
Mary

 

[Ewehnes]

We trapped one that killed our gosling about a week or 2 ago. My husband has trapped and hunted for awhile. What we did is we took a can of tuna and put some in two traps. One where we suspect the racoon climbed into our run and another by the trees on the side of the coop. It only took one night as racoons are VERY curious! Smart, but the curiosity gets them every time. The traps we used caught the racoon's hand and then we shot it (sorry for those looking for a more humane way) other than that my husband said an electric wire about 6 and 12 inches on the side of the run that racoon is nearest to will deter them, but only if the racoon has been attempting to enter where the electric part is.