We went to dinner, and meanwhile a raccoon ate our chicken

[Animalfisherwoman]

So sorry for your loss! It’s always so hard! Like others have suggested, mini marshmallows work and also cut-up fruit. We put it on a small paper (dessert size) plate into the live trap and set it in the early evening. We have several “outdoor” cats in our area and don’t want to trap someone’s cat, so we try to set it later in the day, but have had raccoons out and about mid-day. My husband shoots them while still in the trap and then discards them. Haven’t had any issues with that part. Agreed that raccoons are a menace. I’m getting that way with hawks and eagles as well. They are getting so bad in our area and, unfortunately, can’t do a thing about those guys. At least you can somewhat manage the raccoons.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

I loaned my neighbor a live trap for a feral cat. At least the Humane Society takes them.

Now as to raccoons, it's not like they'll help you. They don't take "healthy" raccoons. They are tasked by the county to pick up dead and dying wildlife on sidewalks and roads, basically.

As far as the hawks, it's legal to harass them. I had considered a .177 pump action at 20', 25' going upward to basically be a harassment instrument. One day SO may or may not have aimed at this hawk that kept coming around and freaking out the chickens...and after that the hawk stopped coming around.

 

[KCD]

I loaned my neighbor a live trap for a feral cat. At least the Humane Society takes them.

Now as to raccoons, it's not like they'll help you. They don't take "healthy" raccoons. They are tasked by the county to pick up dead and dying wildlife on sidewalks and roads, basically.

As far as the hawks, it's legal to harass them. I had considered a .177 pump action at 20', 25' going upward to basically be a harassment instrument. One day SO may or may not have aimed at this hawk that kept coming around and freaking out the chickens...and after that the hawk stopped coming around.

We had the same hawk make 3 separate “appearances” in one day! Killed one of my 10 week old babies (of course my kids’ favorite. My youngest was in tears when I told him.) Second and third time I got out fast enough to clear it out. In between the 2nd and 3rd time, a random raccoon came lumbering into our garden about mid-day and went after our big girls while they were dust bathing. Heard all the chicken screams but thankfully everyone got away. Raccoon was gone by the time my husband came out with the .22. Set the live trap the following day, and everyday for about a week after that, and got a raccoon every day but one. Didn’t see any raccoons on our property for a while after that. More will come eventually but didn’t see any around our coop for some time after that!

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

We had the same hawk make 3 separate “appearances” in one day! Killed one of my 10 week old babies (of course my kids’ favorite. My youngest was in tears when I told him.) Second and third time I got out fast enough to clear it out. In between the 2nd and 3rd time, a random raccoon came lumbering into our garden about mid-day and went after our big girls while they were dust bathing. Heard all the chicken screams but thankfully everyone got away. Raccoon was gone by the time my husband came out with the .22. Set the live trap the following day, and everyday for about a week after that, and got a raccoon every day but one. Didn’t see any raccoons on our property for a while after that. More will come eventually but didn’t see any around our coop for some time after that!

I relate so much. It's not like there's anyone to help us or anyone to call when we chicken owners have varmints stalking our pets, but then again if you have a backyard and it's done quickly/quietly, there is no one to complain about it.

We now have not just coons, but apparently specific problem coons that now are targeting my house. We are probably talking 1-2 animals here. Maybe six max. If the trap works and we ensure a swift and quiet dispatch, it solves my problem. It also helps the 100 people we gave eggs to over the pandemic (we do not sell anyway). It also helps belled-cat or collared-cat owners whose cat gets out.

So as much as no one will admit it, elimination helps the vast majority of people. Just as a Victor rat trap does. Raccoons are vermin, they thrive in human habitat, and when found near there it's too late to get them to go back to nature. Not that it exists in a 70-year-old subdivision anyway.

 

[Ravenseye]

I'll throw in my two cents. I've lost birds over the years to lots of predators. Hawks are tough without a rooster, racoons, owls and fox. Last winter a pair of racoons terrorized the run and managed to pull heavy wire fencing from the corner of the coop. I failed to find that until a fox got in and took out the entire flock. 9 birds in total. Some torn up. Some carried away. Some buried. I had photos of the fox coming back the next morning and the two racoons got into my barn including up on the 3rd floor beams. Trapped one big racoon and shot it. .22 air rifle. Fixed the fence. Stopped being lazy about closing the coop door. Added an automatic door. So far so good.

There is no co-existence with predators unless you're prepared to button up, reduce the predators or accept losses. It's like saying that grass will co-exist with your chickens in the run. Nope.

That said, I do believe that some non-lethal devices help...but aren't perfect. Flashing red lights seem to work a little if you move them around a bit. If I had a bird net over the run, it probably would have helped with the hawk who waited above the coop and swooped down when the chicken door opened. The automatic door is a huge help but my neighbor a few miles away had one ripped out by a bear.

I'm a beekeeper as well and safety is a cumulative effort. No silver bullets for prevention. I find that fall is the worst for me as food gathering gets reduced to pockets of availability. I would start with the obvious and easy and work up to the point where you feel you can balance cost and risk.

 

[Animalfisherwoman]

Night two of the live trap. Marshmallows only this time.

Another skunk. Bigger, meaner, more ornery. This time SO hit it with the pellet gun. It took three shots. It sprayed twice.

Goddammit.

However, this process was very quiet. I heard no shots from inside the house, and there were no skunk noises I heard either. That's what I'm looking for with the raccoons.

As far as the leg trap option, it's under consideration. It would have to be something that neighbors don't see or hear.

 

[cmom]

I haven't had to eliminate a predator in quite a long time and do not get pleasure from doing it when I have. I try to live and let live. I stopped free ranging many years ago due to losses from predators and made nice large pens for my birds which is better as my land is mostly open pasture with very few trees and in the summer months here the birds prefer to be in the shade. Years ago I did plant trees in all of the pens which are getting to be good size now. I did put good heavy duty netting over the pens due to aerial predators, electric wires around my pens and coops and concrete under the gates to deter ground predators. I have had no issues. I think the adult predators teach their young that a bird isn't worth getting zapped for. I have let the birds out now and then when I'm working around the coops but it isn't very long before they go back into their pens where it's nice and shady.
A coon recently out by the outer coops. I'm sure it knows the electric wires are there.

 

[cmom]

@Folly's place uses a different trap for coons.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@Folly's place uses a different trap for coons.

Yes that is the duke dog proof coon trap i used. Im sure raccoons would become savvy as far as avoiding this type trap too, if they were trapped and released. Although it wouldnt be easy to release a live, growling, biting raccoon (or skunk or opossum) from this type trap.

The trap is "dog-proof" because it is only triggered when a critter reaches into the base of the trap and pulls the trigger UP with its paw. Pushing down on the trigger has no effect.

 

[KCD]

Yes that is the duke dog proof coon trap i used. Im sure raccoons would become savvy as far as avoiding this type trap too, if they were trapped and released. Although it wouldnt be easy to release a live, growling, biting raccoon (or skunk or opossum) from this type trap.

The trap is "dog-proof" because it is only triggered when a critter reaches into the base of the trap and pulls the trigger UP with its paw. Pushing down on the trigger has no effect.

We tried the duke trap (our 80 year old neighbor was a prolific trapper so I always go to him when we’re having predator issues). He loaned us a few of the duke traps. They worked well for us (stick a marshmallow down there) but my issue was that the raccoons tore up all the grass in the radius of the trap so we had circles of dead/missing grass. We moved 1 into the taller grass/weed area just outside the wood line and never got any. We had the most luck near the coops, but then left with dead grass. However, the same happens when we set the live trap too (they rip out all the grass/vegetation under the trap), but we always get them when the live trap is in the tall grass/weeds area so it’s not an issue.