What to do about the raccoons?

[mill-j]

A person also needs to look at why the last several years have been really bad as far as critters go. Not too long ago, coon huntin' was profitable and very much worth it. After the market was effectively destroyed, I watched the coon population jump to crazy high numbers. Can you imagine what'll happen when they ban trapping?

For all those who relocate coons. Please mark a coon with paint or something. If the distance is less then 50 miles, they'll very likely be back. Even if it takes a while.

For people getting to the root of the problem and eliminating them. Use hollow point ammo or a shotgun. Solids are cruel and should never be used, whereas hollows are intended for critters and are very affective.

My two cents.

 

[jeepgrrl]

Hello, thomasj! I just found your thread and haven’t read the whole thing yet. I’m like you, I believe everything has a right to live (except mosquitoes and cockroaches) and go out of my way to avoid killing things, especially spiders. Even though I lost my favorite hen to a daytime hunting fox, I know the fox was just trying to feed her family and capitalized on the opportunity when Baby Blue was off foraging by herself. Anyway, like you, our property is surrounded on two sides with woodlands and is home to all sorts of critters: owls, raccoons, fox, coyote, possum. And of course we have hawks and bald eagles. My advice to you, if you haven’t done so already, is to secure your coop. Get carabiners for your latches to secure the doors. And if you want to keep the raccoon family, invest in a livestock guardian dog (or two). They will keep the raccoons at bay and will also protect your flock from other predators. Ask around, you can find a guardian dog who is in need of a new home since training a puppy takes time. Is your hen area fenced in? We have 1.5 acres of 5ft woven wire, and that helps keep out some of the predators. I’m also considering running a hot wire, but I have two outdoor cats that patrol the woods so that probably isn’t a viable option at this time. We have three Siberian Huskies and since the fox raid I have been walking them regularly along the parameter so they can urinate in these areas. Next spring, however, I’m getting a puppy to train as a LGD b/c I am tired of losing hens to the hawks, and I’m also getting a small flock of sheep and a couple of Pygmy goats that will need protection.

Good luck with your dilemma, I hope you are able to find a resolution where you don’t have to shoot the raccoons. I’ll probably get a lot of lumps on the head in the form of negative comments, but I truly believe that there are solutions where we can coexist with some of these predators without disturbing the natural way of things, i.e., feeding the raccoons. I understand that I will have occasional losses, that is the price I pay for free ranging my hens. I think there is enough (unnecessary) destruction by humans as it is - folks around here will run over a mama coon and her babies just for fun, it’s happened three times in the past two weeks already. Coyotes are hunted for fun, and I keep telling these folks that if you take out the coyotes, the vermin population will escalate. Of course, all of my above comments are mostly my opinions and suggestions, but I wanted you to know you have an ally in wanting to preserve the raccoon family.[/QUOTE]

 

[Folly's place]

Just want to mention that the OP was actually feeding his raccoon family! It wasn't about 'live and let live', or 'Mother Nature', it was about actively encouraging more raccoons, and not protecting his flock.
I'm happy to have wildlife out here, but not at my back door, or in my barn, and our coop is very secure. We seldom have to eliminate a critter, but if necessary, we will. And our dogs will take out any that enter their fenced yard. So will yours, that's what they do.
We have horse fencing with hot tape or rope, and more 'just electric' fencing for our cattle, and the barn cat has no problems navigating any of it. Neither do the chickens, for that matter, or the wild critters.
Mary

 

[RoseHawke]

Your raccoons are human fed by the neighbors directly .....and feed left over from pets. Typically, a city (densely populated human area) has 10-20 x's more per cap. than any country setting.

Properly secure your birds...trap and take into the country and release. Remember they are only looking for dinner for themselves and their babies.
Our worst experience was when we trapped a large raccoon sow and her (4).... 1/3 grown babies were laying in a group outside the trap in the a m. Yes we had to let her rejoin the babies. The little guys were not the most polite types as we arranged release of mom.
I mused that she knew us and brought the kids for insurance. LOL

We live on the edge of a small city and watch a parade of raccoons each evening following the same route seeking food. Yes...ours is a stop for scrap food also. Our chicken farm is located 1 mile away.

They are God's creations with us having dominion...but, that includes..... respect.

It is illegal here to relocate raccoons. If you trap them, you are required to despatch them.

 

[layDmcG]

I hate to say it, it's .410 time... that has been my solution to raccoons WASTING meat.

A .410 shotgun will kill the raccoon instantly.

If you have "made friends" with the coons, then I guess you are going to have to pick. Chickens or Raccoons. Raccoons almost always find a way into the coop. I had 2 coons that found a way into my coop and got so fat slaughtering my flock they couldn't get back out.

I chose the flock... and that was the 3rd raccoon crew that "broke in".

It's up to you. Raccoons are VERY clever. It's hard to trap them, though I've done it. It took months to trick them into the trap. But it's possible. Once you trap them, they are very, VERY aggressive. Then once you trap them, if you don't want them to return, you have to take them MILES away. Ten miles should do it. Then, it is said that other raccoon groups of the new drop off area will kill the new raccoon. So, I don't know. At least with the .410 not a bit of the raccoon went to waste. I used everything but the guts, and since I used the guts in my compost they didn't get totally wasted.

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

Here in Michigan the DNR does NOT want raccoon relocated by people.
Your only shifting the problem off on someone else. BANG! Simple as that.

 

[gpresdo]

Here in Michigan the DNR does NOT want raccoon relocated by people.
Your only shifting the problem off on someone else. BANG! Simple as that.

Michigan law applies to transporting them without a license...not the act of relocating them. Just a fact check.

They have no record of issuing a ticket to anyone per the DNR by Cadillac I spoke with.

 

[Folly's place]

How nice to know that it's possible to do the wrong thing, and break the law, and not get a ticket for it.
In Michigan, raccoons, and some others, can legally be moved within the same property, or to private land within the same county, with landowner permission. That's it, and for good reasons!
Mary

 

[HenSenseMama]

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 had a racoon problem a few years ago. They were upending my hummingbird feeder, nightly. I can tell you they are strong, they can be feisty and they are persistent. I learned they have about a 6 mile territorial radius. I caught mine over the course of several nights in a Have A Heart trap, drove them more than 6 miles away and released them. That stopped the problem. Good luck.

 

[Chick Wrangler]

For some of us who live within city (town) limits, discharging firearms is illegal. Drowning trapped pests/predators is an option. It is unfortunately not as fast (humane) as an accurate shot but is fairly quick and probably more humane than inaccurate shots. A plastic garbage can mostly full of water works well. (Fortunately I have never had to deal with any skunks!)

For those of you on here who do not believe in killing predators on your property, we will just have to agree to disagree on this issue!