# Racoon massacre. Distressing.



## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

Was keeping a muscovy hen in a separate pen since she was challenged by rearing her dwindling clutch. From 15 ducklings down to 7. Worst momma I've ever seen. Yesterday, I brought one inside _again_ because it was nearly froze to death. Well, it's now an orphan. There's no family to return to.

Sure, we've had raccoon attacks in the past, but nothing like this. It was a real mess. I've never had to do a mercy kill before. The hen survived, but was more torn up than I can even bear to describe. 

I set a trap with tuna, but am afraid I'll just bring in the bears, which have been a prowl as of late. Stayed up as long as I could with a rifle. Will have to get up in another couple hours and try again. This is tedious. 

Was going to put our annual semi-creepy Halloween display out on the yard this weekend. Now, I don't even feel like it.


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## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

I'm so sorry. It's really painful to see our critters treated this way. We had ***** kill several flocks years ago. Once I came out to the barn and the quiet was odd. I looked in their pen and there were about forty-five dead hens. Just a couple survived. I went into their pen and was saddened to see that while almost all were killed, none were eaten. Why??? I had this creepy feeling then and opened our big community nest box, and there was a huge mama ****. I slammed the lid and ran for the house, praying she'd hold still while I loaded the gun. She did.

I shot the babies a few days later when they wandered out for food. I don't like shooting babies, but dang, they were very likely going to grow up and do like their mama did. I don't mind having wild things around, as long as they leave me and mine alone. I didn't think the odds of that happening were very high.

I'm so sorry for your loss.


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## suelandress (May 10, 2002)

I'm so sorry for your loss. But the creepy decorations, especially stuff with flashing eyes, might be a deterent!


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

***** are horrible beasts. nasty critters. Kill just to kill  I'm sorry you lost your little family there.

I recently visited a farm that has SOLVED their racoon problem. (and other predators at night). He bought 2 of those blinking red light things. simple small boxes that blink red light at slow intervals. AND THEY WORK. 

He had horrible problems with raccoons, skunks, owls, and fox. (as well as hawks). Since putting up these 2 boxes, he's seen no sign of the night time predators. :rock: He moves the lights every couple of days, so that the animals don't get used to them. The lights are not IN the barn, but outside, around the edge of the fence. I'm going to try it.


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## Judy in IN (Nov 28, 2003)

You've probably been hit by a mama **** and her brood. I wouldn't bother with one trap. I'd put out "Raccoon Suprise," and a lot of it. 

I killed 5 *****, a skunk, and two oppossum the first time I used that in my yard/barn. You think I'd have any trouble raising poultry here? This was after they got the first pullet. 

For the people who complain about using poison, I have this to say: I drowned the first oppossum, and it took him 10 minutes to die. I don't think that is humane. I cannot be out there 24/7 with a gun. My Vet gave me this recipe, and they rarely make it more than a few feet away from the pan, so I know it's quick. 

AND, when a raccoon pulls a living chicken through the wire, do you think that's humane? When an oppossum starts eating a live chicken, do you think THAT'S humane? 

Think about it. Bambi was a cartoon.


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

I won't judge you, Judy. We all have our preferred methods, and right now, it's hard to shake the look of that duck I had to put down. How long might she have laid there in agony. And Ann, yep. I'm terribly interested in those lights! Know the make or name?

The last **** attack a year ago caused me to go buy a .22 and take lessons on how to use it. (Of course, I didn't bother telling DP - law enforcement officer about all this who was laid up on the couch going through chemo and not of much use despite being a terrific shot!) I teased $50 out of our checking account and took my lunch breaks at the gun range where to retired cops took me under their wing and showed me precisely how to handle the weapon. 

When the morning of reckoning finally came, well...I don't know how i did it, but I dropped that **** with a single shot right between the eyes. It dropped to the earth with a thud and didn't move again. I was amazed! I looked like a pro! Couldn't have done it twice in a row to save my own life...and then,....I bawled. I'd never shot anything before, and I guess the power and intensity of the moment was overwhelming. I just cried and cried. Must say, I had some explaining to do that evening

I don't think I'll be quite so teary eyed this time.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

LFRJ, I am so sorry your ducks got murdered. Raccoons will go into empty live traps, no bait required.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

Same happened here this spring. Lost huge Pekin ducks, 9 guineas and big cochin hens.
We set atrap, with a can of cat food, and I just happened to have a chick die that day, so I put that in the cage too. We caught a very large mean **** the next morning. Unfortunately another **** was here, and I lost another hen...never got that one. But keep the trap set, and stay AWAY!! Your presence will only keep it in hiding. I am sorry that you have to deal with this. It is very sad.


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## Charm (Oct 21, 2010)

My dogs take care of the ***** here, I also have fox but havent seen any in a long time. 2 rottweilers and 2 lab mixes, and the dogs don't bother the chickens. :run:


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## RonPaulRooster (Aug 1, 2008)

A Girl I know met one a few weeks ago when she went to the coop in the morning . It had crawled in through a small opening it had made in the wire just under the roof . She quickly shoved a plank against the opening , trapping it inside and ran back to the house grabbing her .20 Gauge shotgun . She returned as the **** was trying to move the plank out of the way and make an escape , but he was too late . She blasted him . She then checked and found that she had arrived just as the **** was coming in , as all of her girls were Ok . She loves that Twenty Gauge !


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## suelandress (May 10, 2002)

What is Raccoon Surprise?


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

The lights that Ricky has are these:http://www.niteguard.com/index.html

I've seen other brands out there. They are all work on the same principle: a red light that glows in the dark, and blinks like an eye would. You mount them at different levels to simulate coyote(near the ground), owl (in a tree), etc.

We also mount a battery powered hotwire around the base of the hoop coops. It doesn't take long for the racoons to understand it's NOT a good food choice.  Two nights...and we didn't have **** tracks in the area for months!

eta: My Two Cents: thought I'd mention the poison thing. or shooting. You kill the current group, but then another family/herd/flock will move into the area. And poison, for us, is NOT an option. Too many other animals can get into the poison and die...piggies, rabbits, dogs, cats, birds, deer, etc. We're out in the boonies, and the best way here to prevent losses is solid housing, good fencing, shiny pie tins (for hawks) and predator lights for those that roam at night. :shrug: A pair of LGD is my next project


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Unless I am mistaken Raccoon surprise is coca-cola mixed with some sort of super potent fly bait.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

An electric fence around the pen or coop will stop any ****. Just smear some peanut butter or bacon grease on some tinfoil and hang it on the hot wire to educate the **** or other predator. It should work on bears too.


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## HorseGirl31 (Apr 7, 2010)

I HATE those boogers!! We just got a trap*yay* so we should be catching some soon! Those light boxes are a great idea!


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

We bait traps with marshmallows. Raccoons like them and my cats aren't very tempted to go in there.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Ardie/WI said:


> We bait traps with marshmallows. Raccoons like them and my cats aren't very tempted to go in there.


The marshmallow thing FASCINATES me. They have hardly any scent, they're white(unlike anything else found in nature that the critters eat) and nothing else seems attracted by them. But by golly...the racoons LOVE them! :stars: 

Just really weird. I wonder if, in part, it's the curiosity? ***** do have a really curious nature. I've often thought that if they weren't so vicious, they'd make a great pet.


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## Our Little Farm (Apr 26, 2010)

So sorry you had this happen. I agree with putting marshmallows in the trap.
We are thankful to have an LGD that takes care of that kind of thing for us.


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## Troy (Oct 11, 2010)

The racoon suprise should be outlawed in my opinion and is in some states. I am a very big proponant for protecting your livestock , but not through poisoning there are just to many things that can and eventually will go wrong. 

There is a reason the government stopped using poison's to try to control predators in the western states many years ago. To much can go wrong period.

Trapping , LGD , Secured Pens , Hotwire , Shooting , Flashing Lights , Pie Pans , Anything except Poisons.

The Flashing Lights and Pie Pans will however attract Bobcats and Lynx. I have used both methods to do this with great success , when trying to catch Bobcats , but not other animals in the area. Ever heard the old term curiosity killed the cat.

Google a product called "Lil Griz Getter" it can only be purchased thru dealers it is a trap I have used alot when I have had to remove problem Racoons from an area were there are other Non-Target animals ie: Cats , Dogs ,Ect.. They are very effective you can and will catch Racoons and Opposums in them and Marshmellows make a wonderful bait in them as well. I've also used a piece of sponge soaked in Anise extract with great success with them as well.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Troy, it's also against federal law. Says so right on the fly bait package. I don't use it but some do. I don't like to poison mice but many people do.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

I lost so many birds last winter that I started trapping. I had a pile of ***** and possum out in the woods that would fill a big wheelbarrow. I live on a creek, and I have to fight bobcat, **** and possum always.

Yesterday a neighbor told me that his father had seen a "big cat" on the place just N. of me. He said cougar, but I rather think that what he saw was a big bobcat. We have some in the area that are as big as my border collie. I've killed three on this place, but none so large as that.

The "**** surprise" is an expensive way to kill *****. The fly bait costs around ten dollars a container, is very poisonous but takes a couple of tablespoons in pop to kill a ****. Probably a dollar per ****. Much better to use a bucket set trap and some dog food, marshmallows or the fishy kind of cat food.

The bucket set trap is deadly. Cut a slot in each side of a 5 gallon bucket so that when set the springs of a conibear trap hold the trap upright in the mouth of the bucket laid on its side. When the varmint walks thru the trap to get at the bait he dies.


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## Troy (Oct 11, 2010)

Oxankle , You are correct on that being a very effective way to remove animals.

However , it is not legal in all states. It is also not forgiving at all , if you happen to catch your Cat or Dog or God Forbid your neighbors animals. It is a very effective tool in the right situation , but I would not in good conscience tell someone to use it , who does not know exactly how to do it without catching other Non-target animals and possibly giving themselves and the trapping industry a BIG BLACK EYE. As every ethical trapper should know there is enough of that already without adding to it. LFRJ is from Washington and I believe they already have enough problems with Trapping bans and issues without adding to them by telling them to do something that is may be (And I believe it is in Washington) illegel in thier state.

I'm not downing you just expressing my opinion and views on that subject. Which is very near and dear to my heart. I've spent many years of research , development and studies and thousands of dollars trying to perfect this skill for myself and others to have it just thrown away. Again not trying to down you , just would hate to see anyone get into trouble from advise given by another.


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