Raccoons

[Little B]

I had a lot of chickens! I have only a few left now. I watched a family of racoons in the bed of my truck trying to get open the container of cat food.
I used dog runs with chicken wire over the top, and a regular chicken house, as I have several different breeds. I started finding them dead with the heads gone, and I thought this was a raccoon, but, last two nights, they got in by
tearing the chicken wire from the metal sheeting I had sunk into the ground a part. Gaining access, and night before last, took 7 of one breed. Last night, got into the other section of chicken wire, and took eight. In this manner, they had eaten all but the gizzard. Before, all they could get through the wire was the heads of the chickens. So, I have never heard of raccoons eating a whole chicken. Is this another kind of animal taking my chickens. I once had a fox
that was visiting several years ago, an she got my pied peaLaLaLaLas, an other
exoctic chickens I had at the time. So, by chance is this what I have now. I have a wolf/chow mix, that I have chained at night near where they are, and it does not seem to deterre what ever it is taking them. Any suggestions as to whom my visitor is.

[DIY Guy]

Where abouts do you live?

Does your dog sound off when the animal(s) are raiding?

Happens only at night?

[Little B]

I am in Northern California. And it varries as when it happens. Sometimes around 11 p.m. sometimes 2 a.m., sometimes in the hours just prior to sun rise.
And yes, my dog goes wild. Night before last, they ate about 4 total chickens, skinned the meat right off the bones. When I go out with flash light, I see nothing of course. I look for eyes in the light path, up trees. Sometimes I hear my dog, sometimes I don't. Have a lot going on here, and sometimes I sleep, and sometimes I go deep into r.e.m.

[Little B]

Just checked this morning, when turning on water, didn't hear a thing last night, as I was tired, worked on the chickens all day yesterday, it is covered on top with chicken wire, doors are latched, and still latched. The outside chicken wire is attached to sheet metal going down into the earth. There is 9 dead this morning, one has been partially pulled out at a post an stuck there, stripped of meat, again gizzards are scattered, not eaten. I will check property to see if anything has been pulled by a hole or something. Any advice. Frige is on blink, dishwasher is on blink, wash machine is on blink, car has a direct ground I can't find causes alternator to arc. An phone is having a hard time. Sky hasn't fallen, the ground opened up an is swallowing me.

[woodchuck]

Yes raccoons do eat chicken.
Suggestions:
A secure chicken coop to put them in at night if you can't secure the chicken yard.
A dog in the area may keep them run off. They can be very aggressive so a big dog would be required.
Invite local coon hunters to a hunt.
You can get a live trap and release them in another area or whatever.

Post information on your other problems in the appropriate forum.

Good Luck.

[theripster]

If you really want to know what it is for sure, you will have to see it. Here are a couple of sugestions.

1. Set up some strong lights that will light up the whole coop. Run them from an extension cord that you can plug in at the house. When the dog sounds off, look out the window and plug in the extension cord. Voila, you should see your culprit.

2. Get one of those trap em alive cages. Pick a chicken you don't like and stick it in there. Tie a leg or something so it can't get away and see what you have in the morning.

3. Build a more sturdy coop. :cool: