What kind of bait....

[nvmycj]

....do you guys suggest for those trap cages with the fall down door? I've used cat food and peanut butter with no luck? What do you guys recommend?

Can I put meat in it? Will something come get it if it's spoiled?

 

[Kittymomma]

What are you trying to catch? Marshmallows work well for raccoons, they have a major sweet tooth and you won't (probably) catch dogs and cats.

 

[nvmycj]

I know that I have coons and oppossums on my property. Trying to get rid of them before chickies come...

 

[Kittymomma]

The traps are good, but your best bet is a very secure coop and run. Raccoons are strong and clever so hardware cloth with an apron and latches that the average 3-year old can't open are a good place to start. If you can do it a couple of strands of electric fencing works well for dogs and coyotes as well as raccoons. You may not get much in your traps until after the chickens show up unless the raccoons are already used to coming around to raid your garden, trash cans, bird feeders, etc.

ETA: You can't really get rid of them because new ones almost always move into the newly vacant territory when you kill the resident raccoon, coyote, or other predator. No matter how many you irradicate there will always be some sort of predator out there. I don't bother with premptive trapping myself, but I do trap and/or shoot the critters that are actively targetting my chooks. I know there are many more in the area, but as long as they stick to natural food sources I don't bother them. I'm not trying to talk you into doing it my way, I just don't want you to think that if you remove a few coons and don't get anything in your traps for awhile that the chickens will be safe and you don't need to bother with a proper run/coop.

What kinds of chickens are you going to get? I have a mixed flock of brown and green/blue egg layers. I couldn't decide on just one breed and since I don't plan on showing or breeding for anything other then replacement hens I indulged myself.

 

[Sportsterjeep]

Possums and skunks will eat spoiled meat, and come investigate it. It depends what you are trying to catch, if you even know what's coming in. Commercial trapping lures work very well and aren't that expensive, a little 1oz bottle goes a long way. I've used Cavens, Dobbins, and Hawbakers lures all with great success. If you use any of these it doesn't take much lure. Cut a Q-tip in half and dip about 1/4 of the tip in the bottle, then throw it in the trap. This will last for a week or two, barring any heavy rain. Stay away from call lures as this will bring in predators from far downwind.

 

[chicksbestfriend]

Only preators I have had to trap on my property is ferel cats, but what I have devised as my "bait" works like a charm. I collect all the fallen chicken feathers and make like a fishing lure out of it and hand it inside the cage on fish line so the cat doesnt see the line...................... it goes in the cage trap to "play or investigate" the clump of feathers moving in the wind, and bam, CAUGHT! Sorry I dont have any food bait ideas to share. Good luck!

 

[nvmycj]

Quote:
Very good points.

I'm getting a mixed flock. I'm like you,....I can't decide which ones to get. I'd like to get some dark chocolate and blue/green layers. I want pets,...not show birds.

 

[jhoughton]

If it's racoons, try cat food. If cat food doesn't work to catch the racoons then you don't have racoons.

 

[nvmycj]

Quote:
Thanks for the tip!

 

[nvmycj]

Quote:
That's a GREAT idea! I have seen a few cats....few and far between. Very cool lure, though!