Raccoons after chickens!

[kimmom]

This year is AWFUL where we live for coons. They are savage and killing chickens all over the place! We have made our coop really raccoon proof hopefully! There is a 2 inch gap up under the eaves which I would HOPE they cant get in through. But before dark tonight (5pm) we saw a raccoon sitting outside the chicken run (which has no top on it).. I dont know what to do to protect our poor birds. My daughter will be devastated if she loses anymore birds! We had one die Saturday, it was out freeranging and we found it dead not sure what got it, but the raccoons got bad here that day so may have been it.. Any advice on raccoon proofing??

[limette]

If it's that bad, what about an electric fence?

[Chicky2]

No advice about raccoon proofing, but I would recommend a live trap w/a chicken in another cage, wired to the trap. And I would recommend a shotgun or .22. We decided that critters may not eat our meals! We are currently after a bobcat(s) that took 55 of our neighbors chickens (stupid neighbor didn't secure his chickens for weeks on end) and one of our family pets. I think my dh is going to tie one of our roosters by one leg and stake the rope to the ground tonight out in the middle of a field while he watches from his hiding spot w/his rifle.

[hildare]

we have two of those blinking red light eye things. they seem to be working so far, no raccoons offering to get the chicks.. they're called night or nite guard lights and they're solar powered so they come on with darkness.

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by hildare

we have two of those blinking red light eye things. they seem to be working so far, no raccoons offering to get the chicks.. they're called night or nite guard lights and they're solar powered so they come on with darkness.

How could I forget those? We have those too. They work!

[Linzie2]

Yup, I would say a .22, also.
For the top of the run, you can get some netting.

Ugh, raccoons are the worst!

[CCJWGM]

Once a raccoon gets a taste for chicken or duck they keep on coming back. They are crafty critters. IMO a .22 is the only way to go if they have already killed.

I had this problem too. I lost all my ducks to the same raccoon last spring.

[MrsJewelsRae]

A big dog?! We have a dog and although he himself is a predator to our chickens (he would eat them if we let him and the birds out at the same time) but he also barks at anything at night and I'm sure he's scared off many coons and possums in doing so, as they are rampant around here but we have yet to lose a bird to one. :fingerscrossed My dh is wanting to get a gun though, I really don't want to have one around here, freaks me out!! Last week we had a raccoon with distemper (a disease similar to rabies, but not as severe, there is an outbreak here) on our property while my kids were out playing and we had our neighbour come over and shoot it.

[mattemma04]

I would keep a havahart trap always set for coons.Kill what you catch.Besides killing chickens their poo is filled with roundworm that could harm your family