Coons killing my chickens

[twistitup]

I'm sick and tired of this bs....I'm trapping and killing starting tonight, feral cats my be in on it too.

Is anybody having similar issues? It seems like coons are more carnivorous in the spring / early summer before turning to garden crops / melons later in the year.

[HawgWild]

Are your chickens free range and not closed up in a pen at night?

[twistitup]

Are your chickens free range and not closed up in a pen at night?

They are free range, but I close them up at night. A coon tore open the side of the coop, gained entry and killed 2. Now the birds are scared of the coop...it's a bad deal. I have chickens roosting in trees because they are scared of the coop / coons. For several years they went to the coop at dark and I just locked the door - not anymore, they are freaked out...chicken style PTSD I assume.

Once a coon has success they get ultra determined and must be stopped. I will get him and his family w a trap.

[Ragnar Hogbrok]

Mama always chased them off with a broom.

[HawgWild]

Once a coon has success they get ultra determined and must be stopped. I will get him and his family w a trap.

^^^ So true.^^^

I never had problems with coons when we had chickens. Coyotes, possums, loose running dogs and egg eating snakes were mine. My fencing stopped them all but the snakes.

[twistitup]

Mama always chased them off with a broom.

My broom is a .22

[grayhawg]

These work good for a while, but after 3 or so coons the varmints wise up.



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[twistitup]

These work good for a while, but after 3 or so coons the varmints wise up.

I'll use one tonight

[1highhog]

Please use this trap I have pictured below twistup, I have captured many ready and willing coon, possum, beaver, a few stray cats that just happened by, on these old steel traps.  They are old and been around a hundred years but still do a wonderful job.  If the coon has already made himself and opening into your pen, halfway patch it up so that will be the place he comes in again.  Do a good job, usually I dig a small impression in the ground just large enough that my trap fits into it opened up ready to spring, I then cover it over slightly with a leaf or two to hide it, put the trap right where he will come through his hole that he's already made.  Just as an extra bonus, I always used to bait my trap with sardine, maybe one just under the pedal and a little sardine oil spilled around the area of the trap to cover my scent, you should have you a coon come morning, or if you have your pen close to your house, I'd bet you'll here the commotion and be able to bag a coon right then and there, if it's a good sized one, skin him and have yourself a barbecue. 

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[tophawg19]

this sounds more like a weasel or mink . although they will often kill everything in site . Sardines work well on both traps . also a piece of tinfoil can trap a coon . very curious creatures

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

These work good for a while, but after 3 or so coons the varmints wise up.

Agree with above.  2 years ago, I caught 2 coons at the same time.....in a trap that looks just like the one in the picture.  Couldn't believe it when I went to the trap.  They were probably siblings, same size....not small, but not quite full grown.  I can put the trap out  & catch a coon, possum or one of the half wild housecats that seem to be everywhere. Yet as soon as I catch something.... might as well not put it out again for at least 2-3 weeks.  Nothing will usually touch the bait for at least that long.  After waiting 2 or 3 weeks, I can usually put it out again....& in one or two nights... score again on something. Even caught a gray fox in my backyard a year ago in that trap.  Tuna fish,  seems to work for everything...even the fox.

[twistitup]

Please use this trap I have pictured below twistup, I have captured many ready and willing coon, possum, beaver, a few stray cats that just happened by, on these old steel traps.  They are old and been around a hundred years but still do a wonderful job.  If the coon has already made himself and opening into your pen, halfway patch it up so that will be the place he comes in again.  Do a good job, usually I dig a small impression in the ground just large enough that my trap fits into it opened up ready to spring, I then cover it over slightly with a leaf or two to hide it, put the trap right where he will come through his hole that he's already made.  Just as an extra bonus, I always used to bait my trap with sardine, maybe one just under the pedal and a little sardine oil spilled around the area of the trap to cover my scent, you should have you a coon come morning, or if you have your pen close to your house, I'd bet you'll here the commotion and be able to bag a coon right then and there, if it's a good sized one, skin him and have yourself a barbecue. 

Who sells steel traps these days? They are harder to find then they were back in the day ...

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

Agree with above.  2 years ago, I caught 2 coons at the same time.....in a trap that looks just like the one in the picture.  Couldn't believe it when I went to the trap.  They were probably siblings, same size....not small, but not quite full grown.  I can put the trap out  & catch a coon, possum or one of the half wild housecats that seem to be everywhere. Yet as soon as I catch something.... might as well not put it out again for at least 2-3 weeks.  Nothing will usually touch the bait for at least that long.  After waiting 2 or 3 weeks, I can usually put it out again....& in one or two nights... score again on something. Even caught a gray fox in my backyard a year ago in that trap.  Tuna fish,  seems to work for everything...even the fox.

I probably should have clarified.....I was talking about the live trap, not the steel one with teeth.

[Wayne Watson]

Who sells steel traps these days? They are harder to find then they were back in the day ...

What?  As a board of director of the Arkansas Trappers Association, I am disappointed.  Check out http://www.minntrapprod.com/Traps/departments/81/

The DP ( Dog Proof) is a neat trap and should keep dogs and cats of your trap.  Where do you live and I bet I know a supplier in your area.

[Wayne Watson]

I probably should have clarified.....I was talking about the live trap, not the steel one with teeth.

They don't have teeth any more.  Those have been outlawed for decades.

[twistitup]

What?  As a board of director of the Arkansas Trappers Association, I am disappointed.  Check out http://www.minntrapprod.com/Traps/departments/81/

The DP ( Dog Proof) is a neat trap and should keep dogs and cats of your trap.  Where do you live and I bet I know a supplier in your area.

I was talking retail...are there retail options in NWA for these?

[Wayne Watson]

I was talking retail...are there retail options in NWA for these?

Cabela's in Rogers.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/traps-snares/_/N-1109397/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_288163080?WTz_l=SBC%3BMM%3Bcat292649580

[twistitup]

Cabela's in Rogers.

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/browse/traps-snares/_/N-1109397/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_288163080?WTz_l=SBC%3BMM%3Bcat292649580

Sweet

[LSUFan]

My grandma could smother a coon down with onions and sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker that would make you beat your brains out with your tongue!

Gotta get the scent glands out though.

[twistitup]

My grandma could smother a coon down with onions and sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker that would make you beat your brains out with your tongue!

Gotta get the scent glands out though.

Greasy goodness!

[grayhawg]

My grandma could smother a coon down with onions and sweet potatoes in a pressure cooker that would make you beat your brains out with your tongue!

Gotta get the scent glands out though.

I'd just let the buzzards eat them, no need to cook them or nothing.

[1highhog]

Who sells steel traps these days? They are harder to find then they were back in the day ...

I have about 50 steel traps like the one I showed a picture of, in different sizes.  I don't use live traps, because whatever I catch I'm going to kill anyway.

[1highhog]

They don't have teeth any more.  Those have been outlawed for decades.

True, I just pulled up a pic off the net of the steel trap in the pic , all my traps have no teeth and they're old even at that.

[1highhog]

Who sells steel traps these days? They are harder to find then they were back in the day ...

A lot of CO-OP's(feed stores) have steel traps and live traps like the one grayhawg pictured.

[DeltaBoy]

What ever you catch KILL it and if you can eat it !

[1highhog]

What ever you catch KILL it and if you can eat it !

I figured Delta would see it the way I did, he grewed up near my neck of the woods.

[LSUFan]

I figured Delta would see it the way I did, he grewed up near my neck of the woods.

Being from the South, I find it ironic that something that is edible is allowed to become annoying.

[twistitup]

Being from the South, I find it ironic that something that is edible is allowed to become annoying.

The killing of chickens is annoying, I eat coon...that's not an issue. My question: are they edible in spring/summer? Fall/winter is when we usually hunt coons

[LSUFan]

The killing of chickens is annoying, I eat coon...that's not an issue. My question: are they edible in spring/summer? Fall/winter is when we usually hunt coons

Yup, we were so poor when I was a kid, there was no hunting season.

[twistitup]

Yup, we were so poor when I was a kid, there was no hunting season.

Sweet, that is all I was concerned with. Protecting livestock is legal anytime of year / it's a bonus to eat what is caught.

[1highhog]

Yup, we were so poor when I was a kid, there was no hunting season.

Same here, we got hungry, Dad told us it was time to go huntin.  We always kept meat on the table and potato's year round, tomato's year round, coming from the border of Drew and Bradley County, I've seen more tomato's in my sleep than most folks have, I've even used that on my wife, telling her I was just dreaming on picking tomato's while I was playing wit dem titties during the night, never seems to have gotten her in the mood though.

[LSUFan]

Same here, we got hungry, Dad told us it was time to go huntin.  We always kept meat on the table and potato's year round, tomato's year round, coming from the border of Drew and Bradley County, I've seen more tomato's in my sleep than most folks have, I've even used that on my wife, telling her I was just dreaming on picking tomato's while I was playing wit dem titties during the night, never seems to have gotten her in the mood though.

Prolly cause you tried to pull em off the vine.

[1highhog]

Prolly cause you tried to pull em off the vine.

Dang it, even if got to admit that was dang right funny there, +1.

[PonderinHog]

Sweet, that is all I was concerned with. Protecting livestock is legal anytime of year / it's a bonus to eat what is caught.

So, if you see a deer eating a chicken, fire away

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

They don't have teeth any more.  Those have been outlawed for decades.

Lol...shows you what I know about real traps.  I was just going by the steel one in the picture....which looked like it had teeth.  All I have ever used is the live traps that you can buy at Academy/Cabela's.  I have caught a lot of small animals in those.

[1highhog]

Lol...shows you what I know about real traps.  I was just going by the steel one in the picture....which looked like it had teeth.  All I have ever used is the live traps that you can buy at Academy/Cabela's.  I have caught a lot of small animals in those.

I don't like live traps because them varmints will get used to them, some varmints are smarter than humans, believe it or not,,,,.  Besides, as I said, I'm killing that sucker anyway, so I like the steel trap, the act of finding their trail, locating it just right, concealing it, oh, and setting it without it taking your fingers off is always a good thing to.

[DeltaBoy]

I always kill things that kill what I have planted or I am raising.  I am not in the business of feeding Mother Nature.   Coons get ate, Possums and the rest of those chicken killing vermin get a dose of #4 shot or a 22 LR HP!    Now that mater story is plum Funny! I'll tell the wife that one ! 

[Harley_Hawg]

I have several dozen No 1 coil spring traps that i haven't used in years. I could hook you up with a few.

[LSUFan]

[pigture perfect]

In the spring anad summer use the live traps and keep them for a couple of weeks or so. Purge their systems with corn and table scraps. They will taste much better.

[DeltaBoy]

In the spring anad summer use the live traps and keep them for a couple of weeks or so. Purge their systems with corn and table scraps. They will taste much better.

DAT TRU!

[micali]

I've lost about 10 the last two years.  Mostly because of the poor designed coop I had for my little birds.  I lost one where the coon pull every part of the chick out of their cage but the body.  Poor hen.  I had to pick up all the pieces and  get rid of it.

What's crazy on the others we never saw a feather or any sign of struggle, just disappeared. They even took two full grown hens.  Why don't they try and take the roosters and leave my girls alone.
I'm gunna find a trap to set and get rid of what ever is killing them.

[HawgWild]

What's crazy on the others we never saw a feather or any sign of struggle, just disappeared. They even took two full grown hens.  Why don't they try and take the roosters and leave my girls alone.
I'm gunna find a trap to set and get rid of what ever is killing them.

That may be something other than a coon.

[twistitup]

That may be something other than a coon.

Maybe...but I have one killing grow hens too. They love to reach through chicken wire and grab what they can. I've had them dismembered by a coon, they have hands that are amazingly coordinated

I've quit building coops w chicken wire, I now use rolled wire mesh

[HawgWild]

I always thought that if a fox or coyote got one of my chickens, guineas and/or geese then that was on me and I needed to do a better job with their security. Not the same with a coon. I'd take them out in a second.

[twistitup]

I always thought that if a fox or coyote got one of my chickens, guineas and/or geese then that was on me and I needed to do a better job with their security. Not the same with a coon. I'd take them out in a second.

I agree, they are a completely different situation. Coons just keep coming back until you catch them in a trap or all chickens are gone

[HawgWild]

I'm guessing you've seen "Fort Chicken" posted over in DST? Pretty impressive.

[Ragnar Hogbrok]

[micali]

I trapped my first coon. I'm assuming its at last one of the critters that has been killing my chickens.  I didn't kill it. Catch and release.  It won't be coming back to my place again.  I can't shot a gun in my area so he got a lease on life.

[HawgWild]

How far away did you haul it? You can only fool a coon once. If he's close enough to make it back he won't fall for the old "What's in the trap?" trick again.