Why do they have to be so cute?

[Nyboy]

My hens have a large run covered in hardware cloth, very safe for them. After work I let them out to eat the bugs they find. Yesterday while they where out I happen to look up in to a big tree in my backyard. A small raccoon was looking back at me, I put the hens away and kept a eye on him.He was climing around the tree branches and was so cute!! I know chickens and raccoons are a deadly mix, many would shoot or trap him. I can't all he is trying to do is live. Chickens not going to be happy their bug time is over.

 

[baymule]

Get a dog that will keep the critters away and not play football with your chickens. I have a Great Pyrenees that was given to us because she killed chickens. I built a Fort Knox coop/run anyway, so was not worried. But she sure made sure NOTHING came in our yard. Now, she is a champion chicken protector and I let them out in the yard with full confidence in her not to mouth the chickens. She's the best!

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=24453

And Parker, our black Lab/Great Dane is NOW a chicken protector. He had a slip up last week, but after the hours of mommy being mad at him, he NEVER wants to play with a chicken again.

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=35617

We live in the middle of town, just blocks from city hall. We have hawks, raccoons, possums and tons of feral cats. Our chickens are safe from them thanks to our dogs. Not all dogs make good chicken protectors, but a good dog is your best defense from varmits.

 

[digitS']

Nyboy, I just bet . .

. those chickens look real attractive to . .

. to that raccoon, too.

Steve

 

[Nyboy]

I have 4 dogs lol but they are Cavalier King Charles. They are afraid of the chickens never mind a raccoon.

 

[Mickey328]

Shoot, you just need a dog that'll bark and chase...the 'coon doesn't need to know they're not vicious, LOL

 

[secuono]

They only look cute, then they rip your face off. Many people expect a medium size dog to take on a coon, to only find the dog come back with an ear hanging off and such.
Put up an electric fence.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I was just thinking. The first raccoon I trapped here was eating my blackberries just as they were ripening. It was frustrating to say to myself, "Im finally getting some blackberries tomorrow. Theyll be ready! Then they were gone. Then there was the one that found the sweet corn. Then the one that was messing around my compost pile. Another one got into the chicken feed, but only once.

Ive never actually had a raccoon bother my chickens but I do keep them locked up real well at night.

It's your choice how you handle the situation. It's possible he won't find your garden. To be honest, I've had more problems in the garden with rabbits and groundhogs than raccoons. I do wish you luck.

 

[Nyboy]

My garden is only flowers lol

 

[897tgigvib]

Sec has the most protective and good dog!

What breed is it again? There ought to be more of them!

 

[Jared77]

For those of you who think coons are cute you've never seen one try to drown a dog. They are more than just surviving, they are a highly intelligent sadistic terrorist of wild kingdom. My cousin were half frozen and half drown when we had to save one of his beagles from a nasty ole ringtail. Lost a good coat to one of those them. She was just a pup and hadn't completely been broken from chasing coons (he's a rabbit hound kind of guy) when she hit his trail and he decided he was going to put an end to her.

NOT a fan of them. Trap him if you don't have the heart to dispatch him. Then drive into the next county.....scratch that, 2 counties over, find a drainage ditch near a wooded lot. Then let him out and make sure you don't go back the same way you came. It also doesn't hurt to make a few extra turns to help throw the coon of your trail when you come back. They really are that smart.