We currently have a problem with a raccoon in our henhouse. He has got 6 chickens (including 2 chicks and a hen sitting on a nest) over the past 3 or 4 nights. We have sealed the coop, placed an electric fence around it, etc. The nesting hen was in a barred cage that the coon reached through and puller her out enough to eat her head off and leave the carcass lay. (Sorry so gruesome but it was awful) We have a lot of cats around so I am not sure a trap would work. We have done shifts different nights and the coon seems to come only after we are gone. HELP!

-- Michelle (michelleshuey@aol.com), July 26, 2001

Answers

Hi, Michelle. I've heard a radio in the cornpatch will keep them out of there. Don't know as it works, but it might be a stop gap measure to at least try in the henhouse. Another thing you might investigate is a motion detector with a light mounted on it. You can get them in any hardware store now and they aren't really very expensive. Hope you fix his wagon soon! There's nothing more frustrating than an animal after your birds, and they won't quit until they've cleaned you out, either.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), July 26, 2001.

Well, if you try the radio trick, be sure it's tuned to talk radio. Otherwise they will just dance to the music while they feast. Personally, I don't believe it to be that much of a deterrent. There are a couple of tricks you can use on raccoons that will keep the cats out of the trap. If you place the (leg-hold) trap where the coon has to reach for it (such as the bottom of one of the "holes" in a concrete block), and wire the bait to the pan, the coon will reach for it and you are very unlikely to catch anything else. GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), July 26, 2001.

Do you have a dog that is "hen friendly"? Maybe you could either keep the dog IN the coop or stake him outside the door.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), July 26, 2001.

We had bad coon problems about ten or eleven years ago. I ended up replacing all my poultry three times in one summer. Solved the problem by making an armored coop. These coons were so strong they literally tried to rip the boards off the coop wall to get at the chickens. We bought corn crib wire with a 1 inch by 2inch mesh dimension. The night coop was entirely encased from foundation to rafters in this wire, the wire being buried to a depth of 10 inches to one foot into the ground along the foundation to prevent tunneling. The same treatment was given to a small night pen at the back so the coop could be aired during very warm weather at night. The outside pen was also "roofed with this cribbing wire to prevent entrance from above. End of coon problem. Haven't lost a one since.

-- Sandra Nelson (Magin@starband.net), July 26, 2001.

We live trap with the havaheart.....if you catch a cat....let it go. Use a little fish or something sweet like twinkies. The other night we caught a whole family in one trap. This is the time of year the mamas are teaching the babies to kill. They are so cute, I just wish there were not so distructive!!!! We also went to the "Ultimate" in chicken coop and used the welded wire six feet tall all around it. For some reason that tall tends to deter them, I think they are smart enough to know that quick escape would be difficult or something.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), July 26, 2001.

Live trap and use marshmellow for bait. The coons can't leave them alone and cats don't like them.

-- Mel Kelly (melkelly@webtv.net), July 26, 2001.

It's amazing how people will build something to keep poultry in but forget to build something that will keep predators out. We are a quirky species. Our poultry houses are constructed out of 2 x 4s and regular siding with waferboard and roofing tin on the roof. The attached pens, also built for secure, overnight lodging are 2X2's and WELDED 1/2" by 1' wire. Nothing will reach through this. The doors are tight and sturdy. In 9 years we've never lost a fowl to predators and we are surrounded by forest on two sides and a river on an other. You should know that 1 inch by l inch wire will not do it. Spotted skunks, mink, weasels etc can slip right in and will. Build proper quarters and your poultry will be safe at night.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), July 26, 2001.

Hi Michelle: I agree with the idea about a leg-hold trap in a concrete block and a "hen friendly" dog close by (inside the coop if possible). Once a predator has had success in a situation, sometimes convincing them to go elsewhere is a chore. We've never had much success with live traps. When I was growing up in eastern OK, we had continual problems with all kinds of poultry killers; up here in MN, we have been so blessed so far. Last year our fryers and our hens were in shelter that wouldn't have kept out much and yet nothing happened. And there are predators around here. The difference? I attribute it largely to our border collie. Josie patrols the area - especially at night. Also I've heard that weasels won't come around where cats are; so maybe ole Witchy and Cougar help a little too. Hope you solve your problem soon. Cynthia

-- Cynthia (farmsteader@gvtel.com), July 26, 2001.

A dog is great if you have one .Also human urine helps {let the boys loose} .The best is a 22 rifle .I spent last week shooting a family of skunks.6 dead in 7 nights , not bad for a former city girl !

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), July 26, 2001.

I'll second the havahart trap advice, it works much better than any other method. Try using peanut butter bread for bait, it seems the hens aren't as apt to go for it; plus set it after dark when they've roosted. I always take my coons "for a ride" of at least 8 miles to a remote area.

-- Walt K. (kraterkrew@lcsys.net), July 27, 2001.

Hi Michelle, it is essential to build a henhouse that will keep ALL PREDATORS out, if it is not raccoons, it will be something else next time, and the predators might be BIGGER! Use hardware cloth in small size mesh to keep out the weasel-sized predators, and stout support lumber and metal barn siding to cover it, and a regular barn/house style roof, and SEAL YOUR EAVES, this is where many have forgotten and the 'coons find a way in!

We have all sorts of critters here that love chicken, from 'coons to black bear and mountain lions, so the hen house is built like a regular structure, in fact, it is over 80 years old and is built into a hillside out of concrete block, stays cool in the summer and warmer in the winter, our forebearers were so smart!!!

Most chicken houses I see anymore are too flimsy to keep out anything, I guess folks have forgotten that Mother Nature's critters are hungry too, and it is our responsibilty to outsmart them.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), July 28, 2001.

Hi Michelle,

Here's an unusual piece of advice I received from the owner of our feed store. He's very knowledgeable about poultry as his family had a hatchery for years. He claims Mountain Dew will kill a coon. Something about the carbonation that their system can't hande. They bloat and die. They will drink it cause its sweet. I have never had to try this as my farmcollies keep the coons at bay but its cheap and worth a try. I don't know if the pop would hurt cats (can't imagine my cats wanting M.Dew)or dogs. Good luck....

-- Amy (gshep@aeroinc.net), July 29, 2001.

I'm surprised that the electric fence didn't work. I had great results when I had coons attack my chicks. Did you run the strand low enough so the animal's body had to touch it when it touched the metal fence? It works the best that way (believe me, I forgot the fence was on once while climbing over it and couldn't get off it fast enough...ouch!)

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), July 29, 2001.