Well this was an adventurous night!

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Around 6-630pm eastern time, I was sitting at the dinner table with my family eating dinner. There is a window in the dinning room that has a clear shot of the chicken coops. We're all talking about my stupid roosters going through their hormonal changes and wanting to flog everyone when my Father-in-law looks up an says "look at that raccoon going after the chickens!" We all thought he was joking until he got up an ran to the door (my FIL is a big man an I've never seen him run in the 3 years I've been with hubby). Thats when DH and I jumped up and ran out the door behind him (I was the last one out but the first one up to the coops) when we got up to the coops the coon was in my in-law's layer coop so my FIL locked him in the run and sent DH down for the gun. took 3 shots but my FIL finally hit him with my son's .22 cricket
DH stood there an looked at me saying "are you sad" I said "H*** no!! are you forgetting the 6 Button Quail I lost and the Pheasant that thing scalped passed it's eyeballs and the poor bird still lived!? NO im not sad!"

 

[bobbi-j]

So, the best thing to do would bury the thing and not tell a soul!

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Quote:
I looked up laws a while back when I started getting my birds after they got their's, Its open aim for threat to livestock basically

 

[Mattemma]

Glad you got it and did not have to find dead birds and then deal with trapping and killing.

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Quote:
your telling me! I had 3 bantams out and my Jersey Giant trio were free ranging with my in-laws 14 RSL hens.. I've been losing birds but havent lost a chicken to a coon yet but I know they have tried because the wire on my tractor was wharped in on the top, so I just had to move 2 serama girls an put them in with my 9 week olds and a Silkie an a d'Uccle in the top part of my Jersey's coop that we built for my OEGB roo that almost killed my d'Uccle roo (Who are actually getting along after the confinement!!)
the raccoon wasn't that old and was in REALLY good shape so I dont understand why he was out at that time when it was still daylight out... I know its getting harder to find food but to go to that extent this early on in the fall..

 

[jbourget]

Not sure why people always say not to tell anybody what you kill. who cares, its not like the cops are going to come after you for a coon, maybe a hawk or somethign if you go bragging but nothing else erally, unless its protected. as he said anything after your livestock is yours for the taking, its your property you protect it. My dad has shot at neighbors dogs who are relucktant to tie up thier animals to keep them out of our yard. they learn the hard way...sorry but my livestock is too valuable to me to let some bone heads lab or german shepherd eat for lunch.

 

[corgiscatsandchickens]

Quote:
I think telling someone what you killl depends on your neighbors. I have a couple of neighbors who would want to know what we killed and why, because they have cattle, small children, cats, or small dogs. If I killed a pest predator out of season, they wouldn't care. I have next door neighbors who have an in-ground pool, however. They think it's cute that the coons come and play in the pool and would be horrified if I killed one and probably wouldn't speak to me again!

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

our neighbors dont care. 2 of them have chickens themselves and the others are getting tired of their trash being ripped open all over the yard.
Im just blown away at the fact that this thing would come out in pure daylight to get the chickens! When FIL locked him in the run, he didnt growl or anything, just tried to get out.. but he was in great body condition (probably all of my button quail and pheasants it's been gnawing on) so I dont believe he was rabid but obviously from a litter from early this year or late last year since it wasnt the size of a full grown adult male

 

[chicmom]

Glad you got that racoon! You guys were so lucky your FIL was watching out the window during supper......

 

[TinyTotsSeramas]

Quote:
thank you! An yeah we were! im glad my MIL decided to make dinner earlier then what she normally does! We were in the right place at the right time an the raccoon was just at the wrong place at the wrong time!