some ways to protect your chickens from raccoons

[willhound70]

i have some Rhode Island reds and Ameraucanas. we started with a couple of our older hens being dragged of into the woods by a raccoon. the next night we set our coon trap and stayed up with lights on in our yard. 2 of the Ameraucanas and 2 Rhode Island reds were eaten but the raccoon was killed. my point here is:

1. DO NOT ALLOW A RACCOON TO GET A FIRST CHICKEN!!! THEY WILL COME BACK UNTIL THERE ARE NO MORE CHICKENS OR IT IS DEAD. KEEP THEM AWAY.

2. ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR CHICKENS ARE UP BEFORE DARK, EVEN IF THEY ARE IN A COOP, A RACCOON WILL FIND A WAY TO GET THEM.

3. MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT LEAVE YOUNGER CHICKENS OUT OF THERE NIGHT TIME BROODERS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS REMEMBER IF YOUR CHICKS ARE OUTSIDE AND WHERE THEY ARE

 

[donkeyfoal]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I've had that problem in the past. I use a live trap and after trapping him/her I take them for a 5 mile ride. Be sure to reset the trap as there may be more. I once caught 7 racoons in 8 days. The last one nearly tore my trap apart and my Ger. Shorthair/chocolate lab wouldn't go near the trap! That last one was a very mean spirited fellow. People don't realize how powerful and destructive this gorgeous animal can be. I bait them with 'wet' cat food.

 

[Sylvestor12]

Pepls first reaction o seeig raccons are "Awww...he's so adorable, I just want to hug him!" Pepel need to be shown the damae they can do both mentally and phsically. Then maybe people will see them as a danger and be more cautious. In my case, raccons killed 20 of my chickens,around 1/2 of my flock. They killed are best, manliest, roosters. First my Buff Orpington then his son!

Then Sentinel, my mom's favorite hen that used to greet her everyday and would beg at her feet for scratch and my favorite hen, Blackbeard, the only hen that could wear a pirate's hat, shredded, feathers everywhere.

My young pullets that my paents couldn't corral into the coop, Jasmine an adorable aracauna, more, and Slyvestor that fought to the death trying to get into a locked coop, head ripped off, on the steps into the coop. Raccons are devils in disguise they kiiled my flock! My flock is part of my family, they ripped me apart.