Hear it could be a little chilly outside next week.Have a great weekend all
I'd leave the raccoons alone if they left me alone.
Finally caught them on the trail cams. They climb the fence and then grab the top of the door jamb. Then with the free hand pull the hardware cloth down enough to squeeze through and get into the coop in the little gap between the wall and the roof. I put mouse traps on the ledge, thinking that was their point of entry. Video from the trail cam shows one sticking its hand in, getting snapped, dropping down to the fence and pulling it off, then re entering the coop.
I honestly don't care if they kill and eat a chicken now and then. The hawks do it all the time. We replace 6-10 a year to maintain a flock of 20ish. But the bastards killed everything and ate nothing. It wasn't for feeding. They gorged themselves on chicken feed, but killed the chickens for nothing.
I'm going to keep shooting until they stop coming. The chickens are all dead. The coop is empty. I put a snapper trap inside the coop last night and got another.
Several of these chickens were pets. They had names and personalities. Five of them were just shy of 9 years old.
I'd leave the raccoons alone if they left me alone.
Finally caught them on the trail cams. They climb the fence and then grab the top of the door jamb. Then with the free hand pull the hardware cloth down enough to squeeze through and get into the coop in the little gap between the wall and the roof. I put mouse traps on the ledge, thinking that was their point of entry. Video from the trail cam shows one sticking its hand in, getting snapped, dropping down to the fence and pulling it off, then re entering the coop.
I honestly don't care if they kill and eat a chicken now and then. The hawks do it all the time. We replace 6-10 a year to maintain a flock of 20ish. But the bastards killed everything and ate nothing. It wasn't for feeding. They gorged themselves on chicken feed, but killed the chickens for nothing.
I'm going to keep shooting until they stop coming. The chickens are all dead. The coop is empty. I put a snapper trap inside the coop last night and got another.
Several of these chickens were pets. They had names and personalities. Five of them were just shy of 9 years old.
Not to be insensitive, but why do you feel bad about killing raccoons? Not only do they do all the things you've mentioned, but they also eat ground nesting birds eggs (quail and turkey) and just about anything else they can get their paws on. Not abnormal in the animal kingdom, but as humans, we do get to adjust the balance a little sometimes. I find a 22 mag works wonders on non-compliant coons, but some use a regular .22 to good effect.
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If anyone is looking for 380,9,40 brass, hit me up.
Probably getting rid of the food competition.They're just doing their thing. Coons will coon.
They eat the black walnuts and acorns that make mowing a pain in the fall, and I like watching them be clumsy fools on the security cameras when they're trying to get bird food from the feeders.
I don't hate them for doing their thing. But when they kill the chickens without eating them, I have a problem with that.
Only grand. We will see how many make it. Last time 8 out of 13 survived.congrads so does that makes you a granddoggie or great-granddoggie?
Adoption from rescues/shelters is awesome.
Tons of perfectly good dogs, not ones that are batched out for profit!
ditto on adoptionAdoption from rescues/shelters is awesome.
Tons of perfectly good dogs, not ones that are batched out for profit!