Why is it that first day day we move our little ones outside into their very own coop...

[fowlplayonli]

...DH discovers a raccoon ---the same evening(!!!)--- on top of the tarp-and-poultry-netted roof of our "dog kennel" chicken run.

This is more than a little disarming... is it typical to encounter a raccoon the first night?! Did they scope us out while we spent 2 days building the run?!

The chickens are all locked in their little coop, so God forbid if the raccoon made his way in to the run, the coop would still be sealed at least.

We did leave the feeder out... (which will not happen again)... is that the more possible reason for the attraction?

Either way, we were definitely spooked... ;;;;;

 

[fried green eggs]

Raccoons are opportunist. Live trap it and take it a very long ways away or it will be back or shoot it before it finds a way into the coop. They are very good with their hands. Good Luck

 

[Mattemma]

That coon won't be the only one.I have caught over 20 since last summer just by keeping my 1089 havahart set by the fence.Hopefully the coop holds up well. I STILL have night prowlers.It is unlikely you can ever get rid of them all.Good luck to your little peepers.I hope they otherwie are enjoying the new location! There are so many bugs for them to be chasing right now.So cute to watch them.

 

[fowlplayonli]

Living in NYC 'burb makes a lot of the preferred methods of dealing with these critters impossible, but we will start getting proactive (and creative).

Yes, our girls LOVE it outside already. They were so cute to watch when I brought them out and they first took everything in. Kind of wide-eyed and amazed! (Truth be told, they are always cute to watch... ;-)