Trapping Raccoons as a Procautionary Measure

[Bellevan]

So I'm looking at the potential use of traps as a precautionary measure in my lineup of predator defense for when my poultry get old enough to be outside. Other line of defenses that we will have is a secure coop, of course, and electrified net fencing.
Most of the resources I can find offer information after the predator has already wrecked havoc and the angle(s) of attack and such are already known. My main concern is that if I do place and bait traps to lure in anything that is on its way to munch on my flock, would I be screwing myself by luring things to my flock with the bait itself, or is the flock enough of a bait itself that trap bait won't make a huge difference?
Further info that may be relevant: we're planning on using a tractor-type set up and rotating the coop around our property weekly.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome! I don't trap as a preventative here, but circumstances differ. My flock is always in a safe coop at night, or any time predator issues occur. There's never feed outside of their coop and run, so no night time attractants.
I do feed songbirds intermittently near my house, but not in areas where chickens can also roam. If critters show up under the wild bird feeders, I may trap and shoot them, and always bring in the feeders for weeks, at least, to break that cycle.
No close neighbors are feeding the raccoons or other 'varmits', another big help.
I have zero tolerance for raccoons, opossums, or skunks moving into the barn, or trying to live close to the coop and run. Having no food available for them is very important.
Mary

 

[Biddybot]

Well, I certainly plan to put out some 'precautionary' traps this coming weekend. I'm in a climate zone where raccoons hibernate in the winter and they're waking up--now! I trapped out what I hope were the last of the potentially predatory raccoons for some time to come last year--the ones already accustomed to finding food around human habitation and unafraid of people in general--but you never know. I might have missed one. Anyway, if anyone climbs the fence and comes snooping around the chicken house or even the bird feeders, I'll have some nice tasty cat food served up in my live traps waiting for them. If no one shows up (and I hope no one does), well, I'll just be out some cans of crappy ol' cat food and the time it takes to set the traps every evening and close 'em up in the mornings. That's worth it to me to help keep the chickens safe.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Electric netting and a secure coop is all you need. I don't see any reason to lure and trap an animal that would leave the birds alone. Let the electric do the job and bring in food at night.

If a predator is being a nuisance then it can be trapped and shot. Some become very determined and there is no other solution. Vermont law is set up in this way. Willy nilly trapping and killing of fur bearing animals is illegal. You are allowed to dispatch an animal that is attempting to harm or harmed livestock.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

... I never ever lose any sleep over keeping my chickens safe at night ..Having a secure coop and locking it at night really should be the priority.

Same here, I don’t worry at night about raccoons ...and I agree with the secure coop idea ...

... but I also agree with the OPs thought that reduced numbers means a reduced chance of problems...

I see it not much differently than preventativly removing mice before they infest and tear things up...

...infact it always kind of stands out to me that we never see any “live and let live...” comments on the mice and rat related threads of BYC....

Preventativly removing raccoons is a viable strategy...I’ve done and it works.... before removing the raccoons, there were multiples in the yard every night, tearing up bird feeders, consuming a large amount of sunflower seeds, “rearranging” flower pots, digging in garden areas, etc....

...now when I set a trail camera out at the coop...I only occasionally see one....but our mulberry tree will fruit soon so that will likely change soon...

... as I mentioned previously, raccoons are hard on wild quail, turkey, and other ground nesting bird populations, so there is also a benefit to them that comes from reducing the raccoon numbers ( which are often artificially high due to living around people)...

... we enjoy seeing deer and other wildlife in our yard and do not wish to have a dog to keep chicken eaters away as it would keep other wildlife away, but that might be another strategy that the OP could use to keep raccoons away...

... so removing and reducing the numbers via preventative trapping is simply a strategy we’ve used to manage the raccoon population on our property...to me it makes more sense and has more benefits than removing them on a case by case basis...

... but again I would recommend that the OP become familiar with the local laws concerning this first... because many places require proof that the critter was causing issues before being removed... unless you are trapping in a designated season with a trapping permit.

 

[Folly's place]

Both an overabundance of food in cities and suburbs, and an undersupply of predators, and the effective ending of fur trapping out here, has led to very large numbers of raccoons, IMO.
Some of us have fewer, some way too many, and they can often carry diseases and parasites that none of us need in our backyards.
Mary

 

[texsuze]

I wouldn't tempt fate by trapping before evidence. Securing your chickens at night goes a long way as a deterrent, since raccoons are (mostly) nocturnal.

 

[roosterhavoc]

Everyone’s area is different. I’ve killed a raccoon with distemper in my yard at 1pm on a bright sunny day. I’ve caught one around 9 am too that was perfectly healthy
As ozark biddies already said the populations are artificially high around housing because of the abundance of food that comes with people. A few years ago I caught 32 raccoons during the trapping season just in my yard and about 20 yds into the woods around my yard. The following spring only a few months later I had 13 raccoons cross in front of me on my way to work around 4 am right in front of my house. If you see 1 raccoon there’s usually at least 10 or more around. I’d rather not have any wildlife harassing chickens through my secure coops, electric wire and pens.

 

[Bellevan]

Welcome! I don't trap as a preventative here, but circumstances differ. My flock is always in a safe coop at night, or any time predator issues occur. There's never feed outside of their coop and run, so no night time attractants.
I do feed songbirds intermittently near my house, but not in areas where chickens can also roam. If critters show up under the wild bird feeders, I may trap and shoot them, and always bring in the feeders for weeks, at least, to break that cycle.
No close neighbors are feeding the raccoons or other 'varmits', another big help.
I have zero tolerance for raccoons, opossums, or skunks moving into the barn, or trying to live close to the coop and run. Having no food available for them is very important.
Mary

Good point! We've only lived in our current house less than month so I'm not even sure if raccoons are wildly prevalent here. But I'm sure there are some skulking about. Usually I like to watch our security camera footage to see what snoops around at night, but our house doesn't have a porch or back porch light so the cams are a little useless at night for the time being. I'll be sure to give extra consideration to our bird feeders and looking into some chicken feeders that are better for preventing huge messes.

 

[cottontail farm]

I would think that the smell of chicken is so strong that it's going to be the thing attracting the raccoons, the bait isn't going to bring in any "extra" predators. When you bait your traps, raccoons LOOOOVE marshmallows. If you use catfood you will trap everything including feral cats and skunks. Ask me how I know.
Good luck with your trapping!