What to do about the raccoons?

[gpresdo]

I don’t understand not wanting to kill something that is killing your chickens. Don’t the chickens have a right to live also? I have trapped and killed 4 racoons and an opossum in the last month. And I know it is a family group because one of the younger ones was hanging around one morning when I went out to let the chickens out. So now I need to make sure I get every single one that knows where my chickens live.
I use box traps and at this time of year I bait with an ear of sweet corn which they can’t resist. In my area it is illegal to relocate.
The opossum I literally speared with a pitchfork as it was eating eggs.
Both species carry nasty diseases and ticks and other nasty things so I show no mercy.
But I can’t think of a worse death for a nice hen than to be eaten alive by a predator so my choice is to eliminate the predator.

Whoa...don't let them have access to your flock....very simple.

 

[gpresdo]

I don’t understand not wanting to kill something that is killing your chickens. Don’t the chickens have a right to live also? I have trapped and killed 4 racoons and an opossum in the last month. And I know it is a family group because one of the younger ones was hanging around one morning when I went out to let the chickens out. So now I need to make sure I get every single one that knows where my chickens live.
I use box traps and at this time of year I bait with an ear of sweet corn which they can’t resist. In my area it is illegal to relocate.
The opossum I literally speared with a pitchfork as it was eating eggs.
Both species carry nasty diseases and ticks and other nasty things so I show no mercy.
But I can’t think of a worse death for a nice hen than to be eaten alive by a predator so my choice is to eliminate the predator.

Why not put proper attention to limit access?

 

[gpresdo]

Anyone who says a raccoon is cute has not seen the devastation of a flock of birds.

Bad choice word.......they are majestic.

 

[gpresdo]

I posted earlier that we were in a wait and see mode with our egg thieving raccoon - it would wander through the flock but hadn’t attacked, not even the ones in the nest box. Well, the issue as resolved itself - hadn’t seen it for a week. Today I saw a dead raccoon on the road by our house, so no more missing eggs and the chickens are a little safer.

Never allow a raccoon to meander around birds.
Only disaster awaits.

 

[gpresdo]

They are not cute and I am so heart broken of the devastation they can do and not even eat the poor chicken. They just tear things apart and leave them. Ugh for a predator they don’t seem to have the full purpose of being useful in my opinion. I understand predators killing to survive and to me that is justifiable. But when you see something be killed and left there, it’s very sad.

I am aware of that scene at a neighbors house and it was not pretty.

Hopefully you will never see this but, you will be .....shook..... for sure should you ever see a weasel attack chickens. A snap bite thru the head ...one after the other and can be 12-15 in a couple of minutes.
I doubt anyone understands why that is necessary for food....but such is in the history books.

 

[flossie653]

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.

My daughter use to hand feed these cuties! I love my chickens but they are in a prison with real steel doors and so far they have never been attacked. I learned that raccoon poo is dangerous to you and birds. the feces if in contact can contain a worm that goes to a humans brain and is deadly. My husband tried to shoot a coon and it messed with him emotionally and we trap and release. Take them 5 miles away in a wooded area and should be good. I love animals and couldnt kill a mouse!

 

[Folly's place]

In most states relocating raccoons, except in certain very controlled ways, is illegal. Check with your DNR!
Don't trap unless you will shoot it!
Mary

 

[Headhen3]

My birds are all locked up at night but the raccoons still come around to check on them. I have a bunch of barn cats and I know any leftover cat food attracts the racoons and I have to remove and lock up the chickens feeders as well as anything else they could eat. It’s not that I haven’t tried to discourage them.

 

[Sarkchick]

Anyone who says a raccoon is cute has not seen the devastation of a flock of birds.

That is so true. But i have never had a raccoon kill without eating at least part the dead. I have had them grab a duck thru a gap in my coop and eat part of her head. She did survive and is going strong 4 years later. You only need to go thru a slaughter one time before you fort Knox your coop.

 

[Flyinbolts]

That is so true. But i have never had a raccoon kill without eating at least part the dead. I have had them grab a duck thru a gap in my coop and eat part of her head. She did survive and is going strong 4 years later. You only need to go thru a slaughter one time before you fort Knox your coop.

I've seen it. It is gruesome.

There's a reason my ducks enjoy their coop having a fort name.