What to do about the raccoons?

[Eggscoozme]

Ive certainly lost a number of chickens over my last 7yrs of raising. Just when I think my set-up is predator-proofed, BAMM! A new one comes along.
Last year lost all my layers. Thought some sick-kid did it. Looked in the window of my enclosed portion of coop one morning to find numerous chickens laying on their back, feet up in air, lined up in a row.
When I got back from work, did some investigating, set up trail cam and put 1 dead chicken carcass in live trap. Didnt even cover trap.
Caught it that night.
Although some might like their fur for coats, it ended up taking a Nestea plunge and didnt come back up.

 

[puttytattz]

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.

i disagree, i would trap the coons and move them far away. i dont blame you for not wanting to kill living things. they are just being themselves. food is food. you do need to contain your birds tho. for the same reason you dont want to kill the coons, cage your birds. cuz you love them, and it is your job to protect them.... the image of your bird skinned alive will never leave me!!! please cage your birds. you can make a really BIG cool cage for them. i have ducks, and no way would i let them do whatever they want. also think of this, yes everything has a god given right to live, but if you had children, they would be contained, why? cuz you love them and you know it is your job to protect them, cage the birds better, and move your coons. keep have-a-heart traps on the property to catch and move all coons...you can usually borrow or rent them too soyou could catch and move the whole family all to the same place-just far away. BE careful, no goofy chances. the traps are safe, pay attention. and move them. i do love coons and would not shoot them. my duck yard is like fort knox! i have dogs and if i had coons living here they would be trapped right away and moved for the safety of the dogs and the coons! pls move them, dont kill them! no need. when there ARE other options!

 

[puttytattz]

Well, after this morning, I realize that I have lost control.

I closed up the coop last night and didn't look in to take a head count. This morning when I opened it up again, only a few birds staggered out. There were only about 8 birds left. I stood there, dumbfounded, for a few minutes trying to figure out what happened. Then I looked up and saw the other half of the flock running across from the foreboding side of the property where the guineas are fed and the raccoons live. I took a head count and I am down another 2 or 3 birds. The #2 rooster was one of the lost. Apparently, rooster #2 took half the flock over to the guinea's side and didn't bring the girls back at nightfall.

The Alpha Rooster is quite beautiful with his bright red comb, broad breast, and massive thighs, but he's totally useless. He prances around crowing and acting like he's the one in charge but when it comes to facing a scrap, he squawks and runs. He knows that he is the one that is supposed to protect the flock from intruders but he's just to chicken. (pardon the pun) I don't think I'll get many fertile eggs from him. Other roosters I've watched are willing to battle to the death to protect their girls. I have even watched him run from an angry hen. The loss of rooster #2 was a great one. I would have been better off loosing the Alpha Rooster. I hope I can get some new hatch roosters out of him before he disappears.

After all this, I looked around again and reassessed the whole bigger picture. Where I located the coop I built seemed to be the perfect spot with the idea of letting my chickens free range. Now that I am facing the possibility of having to confine them to a critter impregnable chicken run, I couldn't have picked a more problematic location. The coop is not a small 8 bird coop, it's an 8 ft. by 8 ft. walk-in building where I can also brood the new-hatch so I no longer have to raise chickens in the house. (I can't believe how much dander dust they generate.) This 8ft x 8ft coop weighs at least 3/4 of a ton and I am not going to move it with my Kubota.

So then, open range is still the plan and I now have to get my battle attitude in place. I grabbed the 22 riffle with scope and loaded up the clip. I am now ready for the battle to take back my property from the enamy, those terrorist raccoons. I have met my 9/11.

p.s. I bought a bag of cat food from MFA. My male cat was sniffing at it and seems to like it. So, that will be the cat's replenishment when their current bag is used up and the raccoons will be gone one way or another.

sorry you went this way.

 

[puttytattz]

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.

thats a shame, pls consider trapping them and moving the coons, and making your birds a safe place to live. making a rooster take on a family of 6 coon is just not right. it is your job, not his! when you live in the stix you cannot always do free range, do what you need to do to keep your birds safe, and killing a family of creatures when there ARE other alternatives should not be the answer

 

[my little red hens]

I have no trouble catching raccoons in a have a heart trap. In fact, I have a number seven trapped tonight to release tomorrow. Of course, I don’t live in your area but I do have a way of getting them far enough away from my girls.
When I borrowed the trap the first time I was told to bait it with a peanut butter sandwich. It has worked perfectly every time.

 

[Sydney65]

I didn't know raccoons would chew through chicken wire, but it makes sense.
I am putting up chain link fence dig kennel with coop safely locked inside.

I think I'd still run hard cloth along the lower sides of kennel so they can't reach in and snag someone napping.

 

[ijon]

Good for you, racoons are probably the greatest threat to chickens there is. I don't have a heart to shoot them, but we always trapped ours and let someone take them away and relocate them, don't let them stick around, and certainly don't feed them or they'll be on your property forever!

If you relocate them then you make them someone else problem.Funny story a friend of mime a gun person heard a noise outside his house. He grabbed his gun and went outside real quiet. Two guys had a bunch of raccoons they were letting lose in front of his house. He let off a few rounds, not at them. Needless to say they were in a big hurry to leave.

 

[jjaazzy]

Get a hot line aka electric fence. For around 100.00 you can get everything you need. Be careful it is a trip hazard. We have ours about 4 to 5" from the ground all around the coop. Out enough we can still swing coop doors open. We plug in at night. The predators soon realize no free lunch. It won't stop big stuff like bears, But works great with small stuff and you. So you will only forget to unplug it a time or two. The neat thing is the birds dont seem to get poked by it should you forget. Mine stomp on it no reaction idk why. My system has been up since 15 its worth every penny. Neat thing is if you forget to plug in one night they dont know it they just remember the poke and dont try it again. So in the event of power outage unless it's a new one your good. I used the thin yellow wire, there are thicker types. Visually maybe put in the thicker, so you have a better chance seeing it. I just move slow around the coops so if I do get hung up I can correct myself.

 

[chickencoop57]

Well, after this morning, I realize that I have lost control.

I closed up the coop last night and didn't look in to take a head count. This morning when I opened it up again, only a few birds staggered out. There were only about 8 birds left. I stood there, dumbfounded, for a few minutes trying to figure out what happened. Then I looked up and saw the other half of the flock running across from the foreboding side of the property where the guineas are fed and the raccoons live. I took a head count and I am down another 2 or 3 birds. The #2 rooster was one of the lost. Apparently, rooster #2 took half the flock over to the guinea's side and didn't bring the girls back at nightfall.

The Alpha Rooster is quite beautiful with his bright red comb, broad breast, and massive thighs, but he's totally useless. He prances around crowing and acting like he's the one in charge but when it comes to facing a scrap, he squawks and runs. He knows that he is the one that is supposed to protect the flock from intruders but he's just to chicken. (pardon the pun) I don't think I'll get many fertile eggs from him. Other roosters I've watched are willing to battle to the death to protect their girls. I have even watched him run from an angry hen. The loss of rooster #2 was a great one. I would have been better off loosing the Alpha Rooster. I hope I can get some new hatch roosters out of him before he disappears.

After all this, I looked around again and reassessed the whole bigger picture. Where I located the coop I built seemed to be the perfect spot with the idea of letting my chickens free range. Now that I am facing the possibility of having to confine them to a critter impregnable chicken run, I couldn't have picked a more problematic location. The coop is not a small 8 bird coop, it's an 8 ft. by 8 ft. walk-in building where I can also brood the new-hatch so I no longer have to raise chickens in the house. (I can't believe how much dander dust they generate.) This 8ft x 8ft coop weighs at least 3/4 of a ton and I am not going to move it with my Kubota.

So then, open range is still the plan and I now have to get my battle attitude in place. I grabbed the 22 riffle with scope and loaded up the clip. I am now ready for the battle to take back my property from the enamy, those terrorist raccoons. I have met my 9/11.

p.s. I bought a bag of cat food from MFA. My male cat was sniffing at it and seems to like it. So, that will be the cat's replenishment when their current bag is used up and the raccoons will be gone one way or another.

Now your talking!

 

[ChicMomof10]

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.

Have you thought about trapping and relocating them?