3 banditos showed up outside the run last night

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 12:26 pm

I went out to pick some chard just before dusk, and saw three juvenile raccoons scaling the run fence. I ran down there with my arms flailing, picking up stuff to throw at them as I went along and yelling at them to get away. They went away as far as up to the first fork in a tree next to the run, about 12 feet up, and just sat there staring down at me. I promptly locked the girls in the coop and removed all feed dishes. I didn't remove the waterers though. Would they also be coming for water?
Hubby is home today, so since he is keeping an eye on things, I did let them out in the run this morning, but tomorrow I may have to keep them locked in the coop. I really don't want to do that because of the temperature and humidity in the forecast and I'm afraid that it will get too hot inside. I put frozen bottles in their waterer in the morning, but doubt that the water will stay cool all day, and I worry that they will expire from the heat.
Will these juvenile raccoons come back? Are they old enough to kill or maim chickens? How can you tell if they are rabid? What are the chances of a mother raccoon in the area now too, if there are young ones. I'm freaking out a bit. We've never seen raccoons in our neighbourhood before now and we've been here for twenty five years.
All we have on hand to remove them is a live trap and an ancient pellet gun that hubby tried out yesterday but couldn't get to work, so it's useless. My dog has gotten pretty arthritic and doesn't do a lot of chasing any more, and he's only outside when we are, so I don't think he's going to keep them away. I hate the live trap option because what do I do them if I do trap them? I don't like the idea of making them someone else's problem.
Any suggestions on what else I can do?

Post by **Killerbunny** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 12:39 pm

These need to be killed. They will do incredible damage and remember as juveniles will try for the easy meal. Yes they will keep coming for water, I'm not leaving water out at night ATM.

Post by **WLLady** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 12:45 pm

Lots of suggestions that probably aren't good for public viewing....um.....shovels, pitchforks, finding a hunter with a gun to help.....um.
We had a monster coon coming into our barn for water-he was dumping buckets to get a drink, but chances are there's water and food (including eggs and chicks) that are easy pickin's there so yes, they will be back. Chances are mom has either kicked the youngsters out to have another litter and they're exploring and up to no good, or mom has taught the kids where to go and was in the area, you just didn't see her.
either way....they will be back for sure. they ALWAYS come back.

you can see if you can find a trapper in your area that would be willing to take them out for you-even if you live trap you can dispatch them (or have a trapper do it). You can legally kill pests in protection of livestock.

they aren't rabid if they ran away from you up the tree. distemper and rabies would result in them seeing you, running over to you and trying to climb your leg. rabies causes excessive salivation too-they'll be frothing around the mouth like a dog having picked up a toad. and they'll act all not afraid, be too friendly, and maybe even run over to you or chase you if you walk away. as long as they're trying to avoid you they probably aren't too sick.

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:30 pm

Thanks so much for all the advice! I will be removing the waterers overnight from now on. I know they need to be dispatched, but first I think we need to catch them.
Hubby is all gung ho for buying another sling shot (don't know what happened to his old one) because he figures he can take them out that way.
Back in the day (highschool and Uni) he was a pretty good marksman - won a number of trophies in competition - but not sure his aim will still be as good now, since he's ahem a bit older, and his vision is in a a bit of a state of flux after his macular hole surgery.
Don't know where to look for a trapper in our area, but I do know someone who has a farm not far away who mentioned that her partner has been depopulating raccoons on their property recently. Maybe that's a good place to start asking.
I'm glad to hear that the "little darlings" aren't likely rabid, at least ( I am overdue for a booster, and so is hubby).

Robbie · Post by **Robbie** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:31 pm

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Chickens are prey, I expect predators and I think it's unreasonable to kill them all. The environment is so blasted degraded now they almost have to go for livestock.
I don't know why I read these threads, I do try to avoid them as I seem to be the only one that thinks you don't have to kill every predator. At least I don't think I've ever seen anyone else post an opposing view.
I had a juvenile raccoon chase a hen right in front of me. He was much, much slower than the hen. I yelled at him, he ran up a tree. I went over to the neighbour's to get a live trap, he was gone and I haven't seen him since. I would have re located him to the ravine, also on our property. I would not have harmed him. The raccoon belongs in this environment more than the chicken does.
I had a mother raccoon raise her kits in the barn, in the mow above the floor with the coops. I'm not thrilled about it, I'd prefer they didn't but they were no trouble at all, of course they did check out the coops (footprints) but no losses because the coops are predator proof. I have a hopeful racoon check out the cockerel coop each night, he leaves me a calling card each morning (ugh) but once again, I'm not thrilled, it's not unexpected but I have had no losses, predator proof coop.
I have raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, weasels and the chickens are locked in predator proof coops and let out free range only during the day. I just make sure the chickens are in predator proof coops at night, when most of the potential for losses occur.
And despite my best efforts I'm sure I'll lose the odd chicken during the day, but it probably won't be a cornish, and I'm trying to breed predator smarts into my flock to reduce the chance of losses during the day. Why does a bullet have to be the first and only answer to this problem?

Post by **Killerbunny** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:17 pm

Problem with raccoons is it's not jut the odd chicken, they'll wipe everything out. A neighbour had meat chickens in his outbuilding. Raccoons in one night took them all. Several people on this site have had huge problems with raccoons. They are adaptable and smart and not endangered. JMO.

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:04 pm

Do you have a rain barrel or a pond?
If you can catch them in a live trap....
I've heard they can't breathe under water
Just saying

Post by **WLLady** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:33 pm

if you do choose to relocate (which is illegal so you know) relocate them onto the other side of water (a substantial stream that is deeper than they can walk across).

you can get a line on local trappers by calling the aylmer office of the MNRF. They keep lists of trappers for precisely this reason-putting farmers with problems in touch with trappers/hunters that legally can provide livestock protection. Since coon season is not open right now a hunter cannot legally help, but trappers can help with certain problem animals most time of the year. The MNR may also have information on people that can legally trap and move animals with the proper permits in your area. I don't have the number for the office off hand, but i'm sure a quick search on the world wide wait can provide a phone number.

Post by **thegawd** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:35 pm

yup theres no shortage of coons around. and they are dirty critters that carry many other diseases and parasites that can transfer to other animals or humans. coon crap is one thing I definitely avoid. even in the bush I wont cut up a tree covered in it. I dont need to be spreading that

inside the house.

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:42 pm

WLLady wrote:QR_BBPOST if you do choose to relocate (which is illegal so you know) relocate them onto the other side of water (a substantial stream that is deeper than they can walk across).

you can get a line on local trappers by calling the aylmer office of the MNRF. They keep lists of trappers for precisely this reason-putting farmers with problems in touch with trappers/hunters that legally can provide livestock protection. Since coon season is not open right now a hunter cannot legally help, but trappers can help with certain problem animals most time of the year. The MNR may also have information on people that can legally trap and move animals with the proper permits in your area. I don't have the number for the office off hand, but i'm sure a quick search on the world wide wait can provide a phone number.

Thanks, WLLady. No worries about relocating them: I don't want to make them someone else's problem. I'll try contacting MNRF for a list.

Robbie wrote:QR_BBPOST I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Chickens are prey, I expect predators and I think it's unreasonable to kill them all. The environment is so blasted degraded now they almost have to go for livestock.
I don't know why I read these threads, I do try to avoid them as I seem to be the only one that thinks you don't have to kill every predator. At least I don't think I've ever seen anyone else post an opposing view.
I had a juvenile raccoon chase a hen right in front of me. He was much, much slower than the hen. I yelled at him, he ran up a tree. I went over to the neighbour's to get a live trap, he was gone and I haven't seen him since. I would have re located him to the ravine, also on our property. I would not have harmed him. The raccoon belongs in this environment more than the chicken does.
I had a mother raccoon raise her kits in the barn, in the mow above the floor with the coops. I'm not thrilled about it, I'd prefer they didn't but they were no trouble at all, of course they did check out the coops (footprints) but no losses because the coops are predator proof. I have a hopeful racoon check out the cockerel coop each night, he leaves me a calling card each morning (ugh) but once again, I'm not thrilled, it's not unexpected but I have had no losses, predator proof coop.
I have raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, weasels and the chickens are locked in predator proof coops and let out free range only during the day. I just make sure the chickens are in predator proof coops at night, when most of the potential for losses occur.
And despite my best efforts I'm sure I'll lose the odd chicken during the day, but it probably won't be a cornish, and I'm trying to breed predator smarts into my flock to reduce the chance of losses during the day. Why does a bullet have to be the first and only answer to this problem?

Robbie, I do appreciate and understand your point of view, given your situation, but in my case, I only have my little flock of five in my back yard, not a farm, and they are pets that earn their keep by providing me with eggs. They are in a predator-proof coop at night, but during the day they are in a run that is accessible from the top if a predator is determined enough. I am not home during the day, so they don't free in the yard unless I'm home. For me, if it's a choice between my chickens' lives and that of a wild animal whose natural habitat is not in my backyard, I choose my chickens. I believe it's my job to protect the animals in my care.