Well it happened

[rancher hicks]

I woke this morning and didn't hear the roosters crow but I just thought maybe they didn't feel like it they're so young. When I got to the coop there was commotion inside so I knew. I opened the pop hole and they came pouring out. I went inside and found two dead birds. One my frizzled rooster and a CM. In the corner I heard a noise and found a coon with another. I freaked and got a board and beat it. It was down behind some stuff so it couldn't get away easily. Then I got the spade and went at it again. I didn't kill it though and I don't know if I hurt it at all. It came out of hiding and I went at it again but it growled and I got scared cause I had it cornered. I know how it got in so that really isn't important now. It killed 4 birds total. When it was over I saw it going away through the weeds. I don't have a gun and we're near to many houses to shoot one. It got another, she has the usual neck wound. I have her quarantined but don't know what to put on it. It looks pretty clean so I expect I'll just keep her by herself until she recovers.
I'M SO MAD AT MYSELF. I COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS. Now I have to close the barn door after the horse got away. I let my birds down. It was just an unusual place for a coon to get in,I thought.
WELL THIS MEANS WAR!
Anyhow there it is. I know nothing can be done except to prevent this again. Guess you all know what I'll be doing today. I wish I could line you all up and have you kick me right in my ............................

 

[dun chick]

It happens. I lost 50 birds from a coon attack last winter and my coop was not predator proof and I paid for it mentally and financially. I had to start over. Go on from there and fix what you need to fix.

 

[justusnak]

Awww, dont be so hard on yourself. This is one of lifes lessons we all learn at one point. Seems coons are on the move this time of year, feeding babies. I got our first one last week. Came right on the front porch, and was eating the cat food...while the lazy cats layed just 2 feet away, watching it! Out came the trap...then the gun. No more coon. Im sorry to hear you lost a few...but remember, it WILL come back! Be safe with those hens.

 

[chickencoop31320]

Hard lesson learned. Try not to beat yourself up to much.

If you have wound coat, neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment put one of them on it. Coons don't brush their teeth and they have germs in there! Keep her away from your other birds until she's healed up.
If it were me I'd buy a live trap and catch it. Poison would do the trick, but if you're living in town/close to other houses you might kill someone's pet by mistake. Live trap the coon and KILL it. Do not relocate it.
They sell .22 caliber pellet guns at Wal-mart etc. Pump it up good and while it's in the trap, give it one to the back of the head --- moffia style

 

[will hunt for food]

How did it get in? Keep traps out 24/7. Be proactive eliminating predators.

 

[rancher hicks]

I know how it got in and out. I just haven't seen any yet. In fact I saw our first deer in 3 years. I should not have been so naive. Thanks for the advice for neosporin I never would have thought of that. I have some since my dau. fell riding her mothers bike. She's eating bread so I think she'll be ok. She's a CM and not so feisty now poor thing. If I had had a pitch fork that coon never would have got away. I'll be looking to see if I hurt it enough to kill it. I expect they are hard to kill? It won't get a second chance as I won't sleep for awhile. Thanks everyone for the encouragement. I just write cause it's theraputic, not cause I deserve a response. Take care , gotta a war to fight.

 

[Boyd]

Trap trap trap............ If you can't shoot a gun, you got great advice... a pellet gun is legal in most areas.. and personally I wouldn't do it to dispose of one (because i can shoot here), but some have gave coons swimming lessons without the life jacket.

set your trap out, you may not get that one, but I am sure its back in its den telling all the old timers about the feast awaiting at your house. 10-12 coons in a week isn't unusual for me so don't be surprised if the trap is full daily.....

 

[phoenixbantam]

Sorry for your loss. I'm in the same boat as you right now. You know what they say about hindsight. I just lost my favorite hen to a raccoon a few days ago and I am mad at myself as well because I could have secured her better. Best thing to do is learn from our mistakes and not beat ourselves up too much over it

Thats the thing about mistakes, you learn from them, but it really stinks that something bad has to happen to learn a lesson. I am building a new coop today, and some positive did come from it because if there hadn't been a raccoon attack I would not have built the coop as securely as I am going to. Now I am going to spend some extra money and take extra precautions.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Make sure the Neosporin is the kind WITHOUT the Lidocaine!

Sorry that happened to you. I know I'm on borrowed time with one of my coops, it's next on the list.

 

[Over Easy in Adna]

Quote:
NUTS, sorry you had to go through this......