Sighs....we have a raccoon now!

[Rare Feathers Farm]

DH just got home and said he saw a "HUGE" raccoon at the top of our driveway...it was heading away from the chickens...I guess Cash was keeping a close eye on it...

That said I have to get my coop more coon-proof...I have three types of wire and my run doors are hard for me to open, LOL but it's not enough...I'm thinking about another layer of wire and electric solar charger with electric wire...does anyone have photos of their set-ups?

I don't want to skimp on my solar charger--I have way too many birds that are worth too much to me to risk being cheap on this...

so if anyone has any recommendations on kinds to buy or stay away from please let me know...

ARRRGHHH!

I know we've had them in the area but after the fire, there were none...and now they're back in the area....we just mowed the front pasture too so there's no tall grass or anything by my coop...and it's going to be close to freezing tonight but you better bet I'm sleeping with the window cracked & one eye open! Hubby's got the .250 Savage ready to go!

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Oh and the dogs just got their updated rabies booster & vaccines two weeks ago...

 

[BunnyMomma]

It sounds like you have it as tight as Fort Knox!
I bought 2 live traps at TS, for around 35.00 and I keep one set around back for the bandits.
Unfortunately, we have more skunks, and hawks around here than we do raccoons. I have my 410 ready!
I am determined not to lose a single chick.

I have a 16 inch skirt of chicken wire stapled to the bottom of the coop all the way around. I layed it on the ground and crabgrass grows through it. I think it would take a black bear to get through. I hope you get him!
Bunny

 

[panner123]

Go to redsna'r.com or americanfence.com they have photos of how to set up your fence for different types of predators. And have all types of chargers and supplies. The one thing you MUST do is keep the grass and weeds from the hot wires. If they touch the wires, it will short out your fence.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
Right...which the geese trim on a daily basis. The main issue we'll have will be snow. We get 4+ feet in the winters but I've never seen a raccoon out in that weather--so I'm not sure if they hibernate, go down lower in elevation or what??

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Quote:
on top of all that security put a few live traps around the coop with wet dog food in them and eradicate them if you saw one his uncles nephews mothers aunts and cousins are all sure to follow soon.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Quote:
on top of all that security put a few live traps around the coop with wet dog food in them and eradicate them if you saw one his uncles nephews mothers aunts and cousins are all sure to follow soon.

Yeah, I know my FIL shot a mom and all three of her babies one day (about noon, about 85 degrees out) and they were heading into their coop! This was about June or July. I am not sure about the traps but I'll have to look into that...i'm sure I'll just catch the cats...I don't want to draw him in if he's too scared right now because of the dogs...

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

Quote:
on top of all that security put a few live traps around the coop with wet dog food in them and eradicate them if you saw one his uncles nephews mothers aunts and cousins are all sure to follow soon.

Yeah, I know my FIL shot a mom and all three of her babies one day (about noon, about 85 degrees out) and they were heading into their coop! This was about June or July. I am not sure about the traps but I'll have to look into that...i'm sure I'll just catch the cats...I don't want to draw him in if he's too scared right now because of the dogs...

I understand completely but I am having a life time crisis here and every last coon has called his whole family from darn near mexico or sent them text messages saying ""Hey this idiot farmers pond has ran dry and in the big puddles are all his stocked florida black bass and catfish lets go have a all you can eat buffet then run tohis house and reign terror."" I seriously think every coon in the county is at my pond at night. so what happens when they have cleared all my fish out? whats next? this pond has brought me so many predators in the last week I am at 11 kills for the last 7 days (or relocations) LOL just watch my posts its something new everyday lmao

 

[Debbi]

My little set-up has the following, and so far, so good. The coop in totally enclosed within the run. The run is 20' x 26'. The fence is 6 ft. tall. 4' hardware cloth (1/2" holes), then for the next 2' is welded wire with 2x3" squares. This welded wire also covers the top of the run. I then made a 2 foot apron of chicken wire which is stapled to the timbers on the ground and also comes in contact with the fence wire. I then covered the apron with white chat gravel which is packed down. The finishing touch is the Zareba solar powered fence charger. This is my first solar powered anything, and so far, seems to be working great! It will charge 10 MILES of fence, and will also zap moderate weeds. It is a LOW IMPEDENCE type charger, so there is like a one second gap between pulses. I ran two strands of wire, first strand at about 6" off the ground, the second strand at 37". I've already had a coyote try to check it out, and he got zapped pretty darn good, and took off running and yelping!

With the white gravel around the base, it keeps the grass at bay, and will also show any obvious attempts at digging. So far, so good. I live in the middle of the Mark Twain National Forest, so there is a wide array of predators here! You can find the charger by going to zarebasystems.com, or just Google Zareba fence chargers. I bought this one on Ebay, and got a great deal on it! Easy to set up and use. I turn mine off during the day to let the sun charge the battery, but it will run without sun, supposedly, for 21 days. Of course, that would put a real drain on the battery, so it would need to be charged again. Good luck with the racoons, they are tricky devils for sure!