Stupid Raccoons!

[EncinoMan]

Thanks for all the thoughtful responses. Believe me, I know raccoons are anything but "stupid!" The thread title was written by a mod...I used stronger (but clean IMO) language in the original title and ran afoul (pun intended) of the law. Live and learn, I'll try to behave in the future.

I like the trap/shovel/wine suggestion, but I'm hoping to stay within the law. It's illegal here to trap and/or relocate animals yourself...I can ask animal control to do it for me, but I'm not sure I want them sniffing around my backyard chicken operation. The shovel part of that plan is also strictly forbidden here. If I'm forced to consider this approach, obviously I'd keep it on the down low and not discuss it publicly. Other than the wine, anyhow.

Any thoughts on cayenne pepper? I keep reading about dusting copious amounts of it around the perimeter of the coop/run...obviously not a complete or long term solution, but I wonder if it's just a waste of time and spice.

I like the motion sensing light idea. Even if it doesn't scare the coon off, it would alert me to it's presence. There is actually an electrical box a few yards from the coop (for backyard landscaping lights) so it would be an easy install. Again, it's not a complete solution but perhaps another tool in my arsenal.

For those of you with automatic pop doors, any concerns about them closing before everybody has found their way back to the coop? So far my three young hens are batting a thousand when it comes to putting themselves to bed, but I'd hate to bet their lives on it.

I'm lucky that the days are long now, and I get home from work well before dark. I've got to figure this out now though, before the daylight starts shrinking.

Cheers, and thanks again for your suggestions!

 

[Dogfish]

Buy the trap, keep it out of sight in your yard, whack the thing dead, put it in a bag, and toss the bag in the garbage. Seriously, take care of the issue yourself. Buy the trap online, have it mailed. Maybe double bag it, just in case.

Ask forgiveness, not permission, especially when it comes to protecting your birds. Never invite "the man" into your life.

An auto door is great. I have one and have only had one bird not get in over the past 12 months. A small electric fence charger would also be very good.

Best of luck.

 

[Jerseycoop]

Quote:

too funny I agree you need to trap it but something else to consider is there's probally more from where he came from. I heard a pack attack and rip apart a large ferral cat one night. There was 5 of them and they were vicious. Nothing I could do to save the cat.

 

[EncinoMan]

I hear ya, Dogfish. Obviously I could never do or admit to such a thing, since it's illegal.

Still, there is no reason I can't browse the traps available on Amazon, the Havahart series are more reasonably priced than I expected. My dad has a small one he uses to relocate squirrels that damage his garden and it works quite well.

Question for you trappers. What's the approach if I inadvertently catch a skunk in my theoretical trap? How does one "dispatch" such a catch without creating an olfactory nightmare?

 

[muslw4]

I completely agree, Stupid raccoons. They got into my rabbits this winter and killed 2 of them. One my favorite that was trained to do tricks and I could let loose in the fenced in backyard. He would come to me when I whitsled. I swear coons can open padlocks. Luckily, I live in the country and now leave my two big dogs in a chain link enclosure where I moved the rabbit hutches. Also, now have chicken coup surrounded by electric fence. The dogs alert me to the coons. Never have trouble with coyotes just coons.

One summer I worked at a place wehre I lived in a dumpy trailor in the woods. The coons plagued me every night. Tried everything from setting fire crackers off and throwing them at the coons to chasing them with shovels. They tried getting into the trailor every way possible. I used duct tape to keep vents and windows closed. One of the volunteers said it loked like a roll exploded. Finally, in desperation I sprayed Deep woods off all over the outside of the trailor. That worked! I guess they didn't like the smell. Never had trouble with them after that. Who would have thought, mosquitos, ticks, and raccoons. I would definitely go with the automatic door and maybe even try electric fencing. If they get zapped a few times....
Good luck!

 

[Dogfish]

Use an old blanket or a tarp to cover the trap so you don't get sprayed directly. Figure the rest out from there, but a bayonet works well.

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
most time I have used conibear traps ( 160-220 size)to dispatch a skunk for me instead of dealing with a live skunk I have shot therm several different ways and every time almost they have sprayed in their dying after the first time you learn to shoot from a distance of greater then 20 feet using the conibear trap there have been a few that leaked most you could not smell a skunk had even been there most that cage trap a skunk either build a euthanasia chamber for the cage or just toss it in a rain barrel

 

[harveyhorses]

I will pipe up in favor of the electric fence. It HURTS, so you might not get the same visitor twice, or at least very often. I have three rows, one close to the ground, one a couple of feet up and one where it looked like a jump from a tree branch could get them on top. Nothing like the clump clump of the charger to make me feel snug.

 

[Zaxby's2]

Oh boy. I'm getting rid of my two labs because they started killing our chickens and the neighbor's but I'm thinking that as soon as the dogs are gone the raccoons will strike. Although they were a threat to the chickens, they kept away other predators, and now that they'll be gone soon I'm getting worried. Will raccoons be a constant threat? I live in the country so I know they're probably around. How do I stop them? As just a temporary thing, will a fake owl scare a raccoon away? My chicken run is under trees so a raccoon could get into the run but I'm hoping I can secure the coop. Do raccoons attack during the day? Will they be an every night pest or just every now and then I get one that we have to kill? Thanks!

 

[EncinoMan]

Quote:
I definitely like the idea of an e-fence. Non-lethal, works equally well on all predators, and no need to relocate or otherwise deal with trapped critters. The predator simply learns a painful lesson and moves on, relatively unscathed, to easier pickings. It's even legal in my area, as far as I know. I have no kids or other pets to worry about, and of course I'd warn the pool guy and gardener. Actually, I'd probably have it on a timer to come on at night.

I guess I need to read up on them. My coop and run are pretty small so I wouldn't need much in the way of wire and a ground system...still, I'm not sure how I'd go about rigging it and not interfere with the coop/run doors. Critters have easy access to the top from the adjacent wall and fig tree so that would have to be taken into account. Any specific thoughts, regarding the coop below?