Would a raccoon attack a chicken while free ranging?

[nab58]

We discovered a raccoon nosing around the coop around 7pm (daylight) yesterday. We shooed it away and it came back as soon as we left the area.

My question is....We have 5 week old chicks that I'm putting in their outside run (which is inside our secure coop/run). I normally leave the doors open when I let the big girls range so they have some place to come back to...either for water/food or to hide if necessary. With this raccoon roaming around, I'm afraid he'll get to my chicks if I leave the coop doors open (the cage the chicks are in is not secure).
Can I close the coop doors to ensure the chicks are safe and not worry about the raccoon attacking the big girls while they're out free ranging?

Here's a pic of our setup.....the chicks cage is within the screened run. You can see it in the rear of the run if you enlarge the pic.

 

[happyhens1972]

Yes, a raccoon will attack the chicks and the adults of it has access to them, whether in the coop or free ranging. It'll do it's damndest to get into the coop too so I hope you have a dig skirt on it and have checked for gaps!

 

[ZoeS95423]

I would definitely be worried.
A raccoon will go after them while free ranging no matter what age.
If I were you I would dispose of the coon before it got any of my birds.

 

[centrarchid]

Refer to post #4 in following link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672331/raccoon-attack-how-fast

 

[nab58]

Refer to post #4 in following link.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/672331/raccoon-attack-how-fast

Thank you, that's sort of what I thought. I let the hens free range today and was happy the raccoon did not return during the day. We did get a shot of him on our game cam last night at 3am. We're not seeing any areas where he's tried to break in. No digging or noise that would indicate he's trying. Our coop is secure to out knowledge but we've never had anything try to break in.

 

[gander007]

You need to get rid of the coon and any other pest before letting your chicks free-range or you are going to be out of poultry very fast ......

 

[nab58]

I'm not letting my chicks free range. They're just getting a few hours in the grow out pen within the secure coop on nice days. I am worried about the 6 other hens that do get to free range. I'm trying to borrow a trap and 'take the raccoon for a ride' but I haven't been able to find one yet. Guess the girls stay inside until the situation is resolved.

 

[centrarchid]

I'm not letting my chicks free range. They're just getting a few hours in the grow out pen within the secure coop on nice days. I am worried about the 6 other hens that do get to free range. I'm trying to borrow a trap and 'take the raccoon for a ride' but I haven't been able to find one yet. Guess the girls stay inside until the situation is resolved.

Whoa. Those dogs in your avatar appear to be Boston Terriers. My brother had one called Buddy. Buddy was overly found of ducks in a romantic way but devastated raccoons. He even accompanied hounds on hunts and would keep you warm when tucked under your coat.

Can those dogs be used? They may not even have to catch coon, just give it a good chase then mark area around pen.

 

[nab58]

Lol.....we just lost our 15 year old Boston (who's name was also Buddy) to old age.

My Boston's are not hunters. I wouldn't want them getting into a scrap with any wild animal....they'd loose. . We had a very unfortunate encounter with 2 of our Boston's and a skunk in our backyard....resulted on my dogs being quarantined for two weeks and a very stinky trip to the vet in my brand new car for rabies updates.
They do a good job at marking their territory though. Plus it give my husband an excuse to pee outside.

 

[centrarchid]

It would be actual hunting, rather being a bully and they could very much bully a coon. Dogs such as that are very sweet yet very capable. The shots would best be updated to do so. Skunks are hard for everyone to avoid and simply part of the game.