What to do about the raccoons?

[thomasj]

In most localities, relocating raccoons is prohibited. It’s not a good idea when they are preying on your chickens.

Rarely, a local animal rescue might take raccoon(s), but you would have to check your local situation first.

Relocating in my county is only giving my problem to my neighbor. Why would anyone want to rescue a racoon? They look cute and cuddly but they are a viscous animal that can't be domesticated. What's worse, they know they look cute and cuddly.

In the city, I had a neighbor who's daughter bought an supposedly domesticated raccoon for a pet that had been defanged and declawed. That raccoon. when it became an adult, completely stripped the walls bare of any drywall and was not safe for anyone to be around, even without claws and fangs. So, rescuing them means collecting raccoons until you have so many, you can't afford to feed them. I would not expect to find any domesticated animal shelter that would take a raccoon.

 

[Acre4Me]

That raccoon. when it became an adult, completely stripped the walls bare of any drywall

The mental pic in my mind is hilarious. <snicker> we all do things that we regret....guessing neighbor regretted this!

 

[Howard E]

Ummmm.......actually I did define what a safe coop is.......The Woods house and the little Victory house......no birds housed in either have ever been lost to a predator. That is going on 4 years. The one and only bird I have ever lost to predators.......and that was a couple weeks ago.....was a hen who decided she no longer wanted to be bullied by the rest of the flock, so abandoned the Woods house in favor of the adjacent horse barn. Decided she would take her chances there. She didn't last 48 hours before the coons had her.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/woods-colony-house-portable.1104954/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/the-victory-house.1225477/

Both houses have every aspect of poultry housing covered....including protection from predators......the Woods being the very best option of them all for anyone in a climate that allows for it. That is most of us.

But that is what I use. And that is backed up by yarding birds inside a large area surrounded by a hot wire electric fence that protects them during daylight hours. So no birds lost to predators during daylight hours either. Measured by effectiveness, that is about as good as it gets. And I don't have to shoot, trap or otherwise kill or harm any predators to do it.

I'm now curious to see what it is the OP Thomas built. Can you share some photos?

 

[Ruthster55]

Sorry for your loss of birds @thomasj .

Agree with much of what is said above. Secure coop, don’t feed the coon, remove ones from under your shed, and coons are opportunistic. I’ll add they are murderous Little devils.

you could just decide to free range, and plan for losses accordingly.. have a timetable to raise new replacement chicks, but you will need a secure coop for that to work. There are some that let their birds roost in trees at night too. But there will be losses and generally the best luck there is with game hens, or similar type of agile/outdoor smart chicken....not your typical heritage type dual purpose. So, you can live in a sort of natural harmony, but it will take different planning than what you are doing now.

if you decide that you would rather have your chickens secure and safe from the predators, And their meat and eggs available for you (instead of the predators), then you plan more along the lines of what has been mentioned earlier.

FWIW, I’m in active-coon-hunt mode. My neighbor had his entire flock wiped out in 2 nights by coons. We (myself, and 2 neighbors) have trapped and killed 8 of the murderous little devils. They killed more than 8 chickens...ripped them apart while alive, so the coons had a more humane death than the chickens did. The coons are now interested in my flock ... so, the hunt continues. My neighbor kept his feed outside in a weather proof container, but coon could access it if they wanted, and it appears that onoccasion they did. They also raided several gardens nearby, and maybe pet food if anyone has left any out. So, they had food access but killed the chickens anyway.

Building a secure run and coop is the best long-term approach. I think most people want to keep normal heritage-type chickens that lay eggs in a place where they can be found.

I've seen a feral flock that roosted in trees on a couple-acre property in a general area with plenty of predators including dogs, raccoons, and coyotes. There were maybe 150 chickens. It was an interesting sight and might be an approach for an adventurous chicken owner. The chickens would come to the owner for scratch or feed. The productivity aspect was low, except that the flock replenished itself very well and multiplied in numbers. She had a constant problem of excess roosters. Not much meat on those chickens and it was hard for the chicken keeper to find the eggs.

 

[thomasj]

What kind of locks are best? I use a carabiner for the storage containers And these for the gate. Are these good enough?

I have my doubts on the carabiner. It is an easy, convienient spring loaded device that a raccoon would probably figure out. I personally use a chain link connector that has the threaded sleeve to close it.

 

[Folly's place]

To @Sams Backyard Flock , and in general; that chicken wire door is an easy access point for so many predators, and raccoons will tear it up in a short time. The 1" woven wire will be better, except for rats and smaller weasels, and of course the mice. Also, it's not attached well enough anywhere. Add 1"x 3" boards over all, screwed into that framing.
It's pretty good, but could be better.
Mary

 

[Howard E]

This is the type of door latch I have been using......to date, nobody but me has ever opened it......



This is a heavy duty, sliding bolt, and if a person wanted to use it, the drop loop passes through a part of the bracket with hole in it for carabiner......or padlock......or whatever.

These are also mounted on the pedestrian door, and at least 3 feet off the ground, so no access to it, unless clinging to the side of the shed.....and they would have to know it's up there and then have time, while clinging to the side of the shed.....to figure out how to open it. Coons are good, but not that good. Same lock, with loop, would defeat any of them even as a ground level pop door.

One thing to note........it is critically important to have the pass through door open out. The Woods house (lower photo) opens out. Victory house opens in. Look at any door in your home.....examine the door jamb and trim that supports the door from moving when it is shut. For an exterior door that opens out, that trim is behind the door, such that any animal that is trying to force it's way in, has to push against the lock, plus the trim behind the door. They can't do it.

If you have a door that opens in (Victory house upper photo above) the only thing offering resistance is the lock's bolt. Defeat that and the door swings in and open. A lot of animals could probably force there way in past that.

 

[Folly's place]

My coop doors do open in, but they are actually doors, on hinges, with real locks. One is an exterior door, very sturdy. And my coop walls are layered, two or three thicknesses of wood, also not that easy, until the bears move down here.
Mary

 

[reddogmaster2]

I just got my new flock of Buff Orpingtons moved into their coop that I built. (not quite finished yet) I live 20 minutes west of Lebanon, Missouri in the wooded area with all sorts of predators out here and I can't find it in me to cage up my birds.

I have a family of 6 raccoons living on my property, underneath an old out building. I have 4 guineas left and they have been around for quite a while. The raccoons seem not to be interested in them and the guineas don't seem to pay any attention to the raccoons. When the evening comes, and lately in the daytime also, they have been raiding the guineas crumble. I figure the raccoons are smart enough to know that as long as they don't eat the birds, the supply of crumble will continue. It's something I believe they learned 3 seasons ago when the killed my last chicken and then there was no food.

Last night at about 1AM, I had an incident of a squawking commotion coming from the chicken coop. When I got out there, 2 hens were wandering in a daze outside of the coop and the door was unlatched. This morning when I went out to open the coop for them, I found that I had lost 2 birds, one of my bird's skin is missing from behind the left eye to the top of her head, and another hen seems to have her tail feathers missing. The bolt latch I have on the coop was unlatched. I really don't think that I forgot to latch the door last night but I am now 74 and am prone to do stupid things like that. From previous experiences with raising foul, I am aware of how smart and dexterous raccoons are. I had one unlatch a cage to reach inside and take my prize pheasant. I don't know what type of critter it was that caused the mayhem last night, but I looked all around on the ground for any paw prints and for any indication that a raccoon might have scaled the coop wall to reach the latch but found nothing. I still can't say for certain that it was a racoon but they are the obvious suspect. (There are possums too.) I know raccoons are not the cute cuddly things that they pretend to be but still, to eradicate their threat, it would mean killing a whole family of them. I was thinking about perhaps I could appease them by filling their bellies with cheap cat food every day so that they wouldn't think about my chickens. But then, they are omnivores just like us and like variety, but then why are they leaving my last 4 guineas alone?

I have guns and can do what has to be done but shooting them would be my very last resort. I am hoping to get feedback from others that also respect the God given fundamental right to life, no mater what creature it is. Is there a more practicle solution then killing them? If killing them is the bottom line is ther a more humane way of doing it then shooting them. I killed one 3 years ago with my 9mm. and they do not dye easily. I had to put 4 rounds in him. Before I fired the last round, he turned his head to look straight up at me in pain, anger, anxiety, and fear, That vision will stick with me forever.

Well a 9mm round is plenty to kill a racoon but shot placement is key. I'd suggest you get a .410 bore shotgun or a 20gauge and dispatch the coons.
Killing another animal is not always easy but instinct will take over and they will kill your chickens even if they "appear" uninterested.

 

[Howard E]

My coop doors do open in, but they are actually doors, on hinges, with real locks. One is an exterior door, very sturdy. And my coop walls are layered, two or three thicknesses of wood, also not that easy, until the bears move down here.
Mary

Good point. I guess I should clarify......flimsy chicken house doors made like screen doors, single sheet plywood, etc, should all open out.....so they can't be forced in.

Almost all residential exterior doors open in (commercial doors, by code....have to open out for fire escape reasons). But most residential doors are either solid core wood or insulated metal and are sturdy, with standard residential door lock sets. But even most of those are double locked, with a deadbolt. Do that and you are OK!!!!

BTW, if building from scratch, and you want something sturdy, any metal door slab......even an inexpensive one.....if primed and painted for exterior use, is a good choice. Nothing but humans are likely to get past that......and if metal, that means rat proof too.