19. By providing your flock with a safe home you can also help protect them and keep their stress levels low. 1. Bring your feeders in at night. Protect your chickens from raccoons Raccoons are nocturnal and opportunistic and will be attracted to food and water left out overnight. Raccoon have paws that work much like the human hand. Raccoons have paws that work much like the human hand. 2. These homemade raccoon repellent ideas offer choices suited to your needs and budget. The first is the legislation on raccoons in the locality you want to set the trap. Predators such as raccoons have nimble fingers and can easily open latches. This is because the raccoons are among the smartest of predators. To do this make sure the windows and doors on the coop aren’t easily opened. Our next biggest threat is the fox. This is one of the best ways to avoid problems. Taking precautions is what we do to keep our chickens from becoming sitting ducks. The best way to keep foxes out of your chicken coop depends largely on the style of coop and run that you have. She is an Extension Master Gardener Volunteer and teaches classes in her community related to Edible Landscaping, Organic Gardening, and Introduction to Permaculture. How to Get Rid of Raccoons. I've tried looking on the Internet, but couldn't find much of help for my coop. People everywhere enjoy going to the lake or river to watch the ducks and offer them birdseed. link to How To Keep Pests Out With Electric Fence. There are various precautions that homeowners can take to try to avoid a raccoon infestation from taking root.First, raccoons can find access into homes through broken vents, holes, uncapped chimneys and other openings along the roof, which is why homeowners should regularly inspect, repair and seal any of these or other potential points of entry. When we got them we had no idea that raccoons were a threat to ducks. I had three young ducks, they were about 10 weeks, anyways I have never had issues with raccoons, I knew they were there, and I always took a lot of precautions to make sure I kept them out of the barn, they have never killed my chickens. Also, I will share … How to deter raccoons with fences. Do not leave feed in the run overnight as the raccoon might try to break in to get it. If there is another and more appropriate location for wild ducks not far from your home, such as a public lake, you may be able to herd the birds to it. To make it resistant to raccoons, add one or two strands of electric fencing at least 8 cm above the ground and 6 to 8 cm from the fence. If they really like your feeder, they may come during the day as well. My geese marginally tolerate the ducks/chickens. The type of trap you use will be mostly determined by two things. I am a podcaster who is starting to put videos out on YouTube. I would also like to know how to protect both, their free-range time and time in their coop/run. Let’s look at each of these. If you keep ducks, make sure the chickens don’t make a habit of drinking water which the ducks have pooped in. Products to control raccoons are in our Yardener's Tool Shed; click here. She currently keeps dairy goats, chickens, ducks, a pet turkey, worms, and (occasionally) pigs. The top is covered with chicken wire. To do that, you will need the help of several friends holding up large pieces of cardboard or bedsheets to keep the ducks contained in a waddling group. 2. of 10. And we planned on raising them but then having them live wild … and they will not protect any thing but their own. Otherwise, the fox will retain its mystery as the strange red creature of the forest. But just because you like their company in the local park... View Post. Scatter blood meal or wood ash around your plants. Knowing this, we build and secure our coops with the behavior of fox and raccoons in mind. How to keep raccoons, opossums and skunks away from your feeders 1. First, housing and shelter. Raccoons are also afraid of large trained dogs and will keep their distance from your coop. Matthew Dillon/Flickr/CC by 2.0. Make sure their coop is predator-proof. This will help defend against predators such as chicken hawks as well as keep wild birds from mingling with your chickens (although, not their poop, so there can still be some transmission of diseases from wild birds to chickens even in the best of situations). Ensure your feed is fresh and not moldy. Use heavy-duty trash bags and double-bag waste meat items to help reduce the odor. You should also cover wooden hutches with hardware cloth. How to Keep Raccoons out of Your Yard. Discovering those unusual facts and sharing them with others can help spark more interest for everyone to protect ducks. While some kill the raccoon on the spot, others keep them alive but may inflict an injury or two on them. Clean Their Feeders. However it will likely be at nighttime when they first find your feeders. Ducks in the wild are beautiful creatures. they can't beat a pred like that to death with their wings. In the spring I put my ducks into breeding pens made with chicken wire, and I have never had any problems with those either. If they can't go under it or through it, they'll wiggle themselves over it. Without getting into the politics of gun ownership, shooting the offending animal or firing a shotgun in the direction of the offending predator will certainly scare away or get rid of the problem. In searching, we came across 8 ways to naturally deter these pesky critters. Taking precautions is what we do to keep our chickens from becoming sitting ducks. For example, a weasel was shot and killed after eating the faces off of several hens in the coop. Anything a small child can open can usually be opened by a determined raccoon. Here are 7 simple ways to help keep raccoons away. Such easy meals are found in garbage cans, pet food left outside, and tree seeds lying around. Dump out water bowls that are left outside each night and put away any uneaten chicken feed. How to Keep Ducks Away from a Pond: 11 Solutions. Keep Their Feed Fresh. Tightly secure trash can lids. Making Your Surroundings Unattractive; Apart from chickens, raccoons are also attracted to human dwellings when there’s a sign of an easy meal. I was wondering on how to protect my ducks, because I'm worried about them bring eaten by predators like raccoons, foxes, dogs, hawks, etc. The final layer of predator protection is a gun. Keep raccoons out of the house. If there are raccoons near your house, you should be considerate and reprehensible. Signs of raccoon predation include birds’ heads bitten off and left some distance away, only the bird’s crop being eaten, stuck birds pulled half-way through a fence, and nests in severe disarray. Latches are often not a problem for them … Knowing this, we build and secure our coops with the behavior of fox and raccoon in mind. How to Protect Cats from Raccoons By an eHow Contributor If you live a rural area or urban area that is close to woodlands, raccoons are probably familiar to you. The best way to get rid of raccoons is to fence them off. Since they are adept at climbing (and digging), ordinary fencing is not enough. I have done it this way for years and never had a problem with raccoons or other predators digging underneath, or busting through the chicken wire. I'd like to get some ideas on how I can protect my white crested ducks once we release them to our lake out back. Seal up possible den sites. How to Keep Raccoons Away Naturally. For example; raccoons can easily open up certain locks on the door of a coop. Pick Up Fishing Line . The only ways to truly keep raccoons out of your garden are to trap them and release them far away, or to build an electric fence around your garden. Plastic models of dogs, foxes and raccoons. It works by scaring away the small animals through three working modes; motion sensor, constant, and continuous sweep. How I protect my chickens from predators in my context. ... Raccoons are the biggest threat to my chickens where I live, on the east coast. All of these animals are nocturnal and like to forage at night. There’s no surefire way to keep raccoons off your property, but there are a few measures you can take to prevent a large population of raccoons from taking up residence in your yard — and to prevent raccoons from constructing dens in your home or outbuildings. While ducks are very hardy, they do need shelter from the weather. It takes a special fence to stand in the way of a hungry raccoon intent on getting into your garden. Our next biggest threat is the fox. Predator-proof the run. Raccoons can also climb decorative ivies, so these should be removed from the home exterior. Most likely, they are familiar to you in a bad way. Method 1 of 3: Trying Natural Repellents 1. Remove eggs from the run and surrounding areas. (1964) points out that raccoons at-tempting to squeeze through the entrance cause some incubating hens to desert the nest. Steps. Some other traps catch and keep them completely safe from harm so you can easily relocate them somewhere else. Protect your trash. 18. Raccoons will eat poultry and their eggs if they can get to them. Raccoons can’t resist trash, so you’ll need multiple strategies in this area. Tip. Plus, raccoons can open a lot of latches and simple locks. The sensor can repel pests and animals, including rats, birds, squirrels, ducks, raccoons, deer, skunk, geese, rabbit, and mice. Bellrose et al. While these creatures can definitely give coyotes, wolves, bears, moose, and raccoons a run for their money, the many fox species usually try to keep within their habitats. Following on from Botulism you need to keep food and water dishes clean. 1. It's a misconception that geese can protect from a predator with teeth and claws. To prevent problems with raccoons enclose poultry (chickens, ducks, and turkeys) in a secure outdoor pen and house. The main problem you are going to face is actually protecting your chickens from the raccoons. Secure non-locking trash can lids with bungee cords or cinder blocks. If they see a raccoon in the backyard of the house, they can chase after him out of interest and curiosity or by wanting to protect their territory. She gardens on about two acres and grows a large variety of annual and perennial edible, medicinal, and ecosystem support plants. link to How to Keep Ducks Away from a Pond: 11 Solutions. Raccoons are the biggest threat to my chickens where I live on the east coast. To keep raccoons from reaching a wood duck house is desirable not only to prevent predation but also to reduce the incidence of desertion by nesting ducks. 11 Years. To keep raccoons (as well as many other insects, rodents, and wild animals like skunks) from getting onto your roof to enter your home, keep all tree branches and bushes trimmed away from your home. We can never stress enough the dangers and troubles these critters pose, so check out these tried-and-tested natural raccoon deterrents we’ve collected for you. I use a 1:10 bleach solution weekly in all my feeders and drinkers. Dog. Other things to keep in mind about keeping ducks in the winter are similar to considerations for other poultry types: housing, feed and water. Here are a few: 1. If you have a mobile chicken coop that has a run attached to a housing section, it’s important to make sure that foxes can’t tunnel underneath the outer edges of your coop. They are not like the possums. They only enter into the human sphere when it is either winter time, food is scarce, or both. Normal fencing will not keep raccoons from your garden. Even if you’re on reasonably hard soil, foxes can be quite determined to access your coop. Dogs by nature are curious, and also are territorial owners. Clean up. Jun 6, 2009 #4 ~SunSetsWest~ Songster. They make a mess out of your backyard, and may cause injure your pets, especially cats. Protecting Your Chickens Against Raccoons. It has three operational modes of Day, Night, or 24 hours. Chicken Coop Security. Add a lock to your rabbit latch or use spring-loaded latches or barrel latches to keep raccoons from opening the door. Water which the ducks have pooped in products to control raccoons are the threat... In the local park... 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