Trapping Raccoons Around Coops

[Woodridge Creek]

After a year and half we had a predator attack our 2 coops. It killed 2 pet ducks and 3 meat birds from us. I have reinforced our coops to be predator proof so that isn't my question.
I dropped traps around the coops and now every morning since the attacks I have to relocate racoons to the great trash can in the sky.
At what point am I trapping/hunting racoons and no longer protecting the flocks? Am I inviting them closer with bait? Or am I still dealing with active predators that should continue to be trapped?

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

My thinking is you are still trapping would be predators. They are thick in most areas. If they are around they are likely to cause trouble. You are doing right by not releasing them back to cause trouble somewhere else.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Raccoons leave a scent trail that tells other raccoons "follow me to food!" If something bad happens along that trail the scent changes. Per my discussion with the only pest control person in my county that deals with raccoons leaving a distressed or dead raccoon for the others to smell should mitigate the problem.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

Raccoons leave a scent trail that tells other raccoons "follow me to food!" If something bad happens along that trail the scent changes. Per my discussion with the only pest control person in my county that deals with raccoons leaving a distressed or dead raccoon for the others to smell should mitigate the problem.

Sometimes pest control people have their own agendas. On one level that makes sense, but lots of times multiple raccoons will be in an area, with traps and if one of them gets trapped it’s noticeably distressed, and in that trap the remainder of the night. The other raccoons see that, yet continue to come back. As long as there is a potential food source for them they will continue to come until that population of them has been depleted, then it over time more will expand into that range again.

 

[Acre4Me]

Keep trapping.

Neighbor had his flock wiped over 2 nights by raccoons. He set out traps, neighbor on one side set out traps, and we (other side) set out traps. Over a week we (all 3 of us) trapped and dispatched 11 coons. No problems in The past two years. We removed the local ones that were coming for a meal.

 

[mowin]

Last thing I would do is leave a rotting coon near my coop. The smell would be horrible.

Coons are a family group. And you could be dealing with several families, and that might take time to thin them out. Trapping coons is relatively easy if they are young. Make sure trap( live trap) is secure. If the coon can rock it back and forth or tip it, it's going to escape and it WILL remember not to get fooled by a trap again. Eventually, you'll only get one every now and then.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Sometimes pest control people have their own agendas. On one level that makes sense, but lots of times multiple raccoons will be in an area, with traps and if one of them gets trapped it’s noticeably distressed, and in that trap the remainder of the night. The other raccoons see that, yet continue to come back. As long as there is a potential food source for them they will continue to come until that population of them has been depleted, then it over time more will expand into that range again.

Which is why this guy told me that his services would be a waste of my money so I don't think he had an agenda. He told me not to hire him because too many raccoons in a neighborhood is beyond the help of pest control. All they do is what the Op is doing which is to trap and kill them. The problem in my situation and this one is raccoons that are too comfortable around people. It will take a lot to discourage them.

 

[gtaus]

Welcome to the forum.

Since the racoons already consider your chickens food, you might as well continue to bait your traps and get as many racoons as you can. I don't think your baiting the traps will draw in any more racoons than would be coming around looking for a chicken dinner. Sorry for your loss. Hope you get rid of the masked bandits that are causing the problem.

 

[Franklinridgefarms]

Which is why this guy told me that his services would be a waste of my money so I don't think he had an agenda. He told me not to hire him because too many raccoons in a neighborhood is beyond the help of pest control. All they do is what the Op is doing which is to trap and kill them. The problem in my situation and this one is raccoons that are too comfortable around people. It will take a lot to discourage them.

I’m sure not all have agendas, I was just speaking from what I have seen out of exterminators. Sometimes it seems like they are trying to prolong the process for job security.
Yes, the guy told you honestly and correctly. We have friends that live in town houses close all around and just feet away from one of the busiest streets in town. He told me that a few years ago he trapped 13 raccoons.

 

[Woodridge Creek]

Thank you all for your input. I will continue on with the plan. These mornings are weird that's for sure.
And in case anyone was wondering, much akin to school aged children, Cookie Crisps are irresistible to racoons.