One chicken left after 4 killed by raccoons

[seattleattic]

It's been ages since I've posted a question on this website, but I am here with a question I never thought I'd need to ask.

We've had chickens since 2012. We have a large backyard and the girls were able to happily free range. Then three years ago a neighbor started feeding raccoons two houses down from us and raccoons started coming into our yard during the day. Over the past three years raccoons have killed four chickens, the last one of which was last week. Now we are down to one girl, Nellie.

My mother is so upset that she doesn't let Nellie out anymore unless she's working in the yard. Otherwise, not only is Nellie now alone, but we are afraid of letting her out of the coop.

I don't know what's worse:
1. Being in the coop most of the day when she's been used to having a huge yard to play in with her sisters;
2. Letting her out and risking another raccoon attack; or
3. Giving her away to a family with other chickens.

We are sad and distressed. At one time we would have loved to continue having chickens, but we insist that they be able to roam the yard freely. I don't have the time or funds to build a full enclosure, and even if I did I would be afraid that raccoons would get to the chickens anyway. They still come around at night.

Thoughts? Advice?

Thanks,
Deborah

 

[RyderTheChicken]

Well if you keep her then get more chickens because they can’t be alone, and honestly I would give her away to a good home if I were you.

 

[seattleattic]

Well if you keep her then get more chickens because they can’t be alone, and honestly I would give her away to a good home if I were you.

Thanks. My worry is that she would be the newcomer in a new flock. I don't know what's worse, having her be alone or having her be the odd girl out in a new flock. She's such a sweet girl.

 

[Echilde]

Being alone will just make her stressed, effect her laying, and cause depression. You either need more chickens or you need to rehome her.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you cannot contain her in a predator proof enclosure (so no more roaming the yard) then I'd rehome her. Keeping the remaining bird locked in a coop around the clock with no chicken friends is not a good life for her.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would be very wary of having coons in my yard in the day time. They are known carriers of rabies. I do think you need to report this to animal control.

I just introduced a single bird into a flock, so it can be done. I too would let her go.

Mrs K

 

[seattleattic]

Thanks everyone. She HAS stopped laying. She's depressed. We let her out and keep her close to use so she can scratch around in the yard for a couple hours, but she's not used to that. She's used to freedom. We are fortunate to have a HUGE yard and the girls would be let out early in the morning and would be out until the sun started to go down. They loved being out and about. The coop is completely predator-proof; her sisters were killed when we let them out. My mom cries every day she sees Nellie because Nellie is always asking to be let out of the coop. She's smart enough to know that when she sees my mom she's supposed to be let out. And that's not happening. I will look to re-home her or get another chicken ASAP. This is hearbreaking for us, but I can't imagine what it is like for Nellie. :-(

 

[Morrigan]

If you end up keeping her and getting her one or more companions, you might want to look into electric poultry netting. It's not cheap, but I think it might be cheaper and definitely easier than a full-blown predator proof run. The good thing about using electric fencing/netting to discourage predators, is that after they remember the painful shock, and will start to give your yard a wide berth.

 

[imnukensc]

I'd be trapping and killing coons and getting more chickens.