How Do I Stop Raccoons From Killing My Chickens?

Keeping Your Chicken Coop Safe

1. Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Raccoons.
2. Secure the Wire Mesh on Your Coop.
3. Use a Latch That’s Hard to Open.
4. Surround the Coop Area with Foul Smells.
5. Install a Coop Apron.
6. Mount a Predator Deterrent Light on the Coop.

Why do raccoons kill chickens?

They prefer to eat the breast meat and they can be quite wasteful. If they can get to the breast meat, they will eat it and then move on to the next chicken. Raccoons are nocturnal and will attack your chickens at night, when they are most vulnerable.

Will chicken wire keep raccoons out?

Don’t use chicken wire: chicken wire is not a barrier to predators. Raccoons and other predators can tear right through it like tissue paper. (Chicken wire should only be used to keep chickens in, not to keep predators out.)

Can a raccoon open a chicken coop?

Raccoons are intelligent predators. They can climb fences and walls and even dig underneath barriers to access your chickens. They can also open latches and reach their paws through the wire mesh fencing that is commonly used to keep chicken coops secure from other types of predators.

How do you keep raccoons away naturally?

4 Natural Raccoon Deterrents

1. Scatter or spray pepper. Spices like cinnamon, black pepper or cayenne pepper bother a raccoon’s sense of smell, forcing it to relocate to a more livable area.
2. Soak rags in ammonia.
3. Place mothballs around your house.
4. Call Apple Pest Control.

What scent will keep raccoons away?

Since raccoons have a strong sense of smell, which they use to find convenient food sources, one can take advantage of this feature by using scents they hate. Hot pepper, garlic, peppermint oil, onion, and Epsom salt are a few scents used to repel raccoons.

What is a good raccoon repellent?

As a general rule, the best raccoon repellents irritate the senses of a raccoon to keep them away. Peppermint essential oil, bright lights, coffee grounds, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, epsom salt, predator urine, ammonia, vinegar, loud noises and fragrant soaps all can repel raccoons.

Why do raccoons rip heads off chickens?

Missing Heads
Raccoons will also rip the heads off chickens through fencing, often reaching through at ground level to grab a chicken and pull its head off, leaving its body on the other side of the fence.

How do I know if a raccoon killed my chickens?

Signs a Raccoon is Killing Chickens:

1. You find several dead chickens, but they are only missing their crops, abdomen(internal organs) and head.
2. Raccoons will seldom eat a whole chicken.
3. Parts of chicken, blood and feathers everywhere.
4. Raccoon tracks.
5. Raccoon skat.
6. Chicken wire pulled off enclosure.
7. Simple gates unlatched.

Does Irish Spring soap keep raccoons away?

Many of the same smells that deter deer, such as capsaicin and mint, also repel raccoons. In general, Irish Spring soap can be an effective raccoon repellent. For the most part, you’ll never see a raccoon munching in your garden. They are nocturnal and feed at nighttime.

How do you build a raccoon proof chicken coop?

11+ Tips for Predator-proofing Chickens

1. Don’t allow Chickens to Roost Outside.
2. Never Rely on Chicken Wire for Safety.
3. Install ¼ inch Hardware Cloth Liberally.
4. Bury it or put an Apron on It.
5. Cover the Run.
6. Close Coop and Run Doors at Dusk.
7. USE 2 STEP LOCKS ON DOOR LATCHES.
8. ELIMINATE FEED.

How do I get rid of raccoons?

How to Deter Raccoons: 9 DIY Control Methods

1. Add a motion-activated sprinkler.
2. Use ultrasound deterrent devices.
3. Secure trash cans.
4. Bag your trash in raccoon-repelling trash bags.
5. Make your own raccoon repellent.
6. Use ammonia.
7. Remove pet and bird food.
8. Use fences to protect high-interest areas.

Will a raccoon eat a whole chicken?

Raccoons will rarely eat a whole adult chicken. But if you find your flock killed and most of the body left, it’s likely to be one of two culprits: a member of the weasel family, or a raccoon.

What do raccoons hate the most?

Raccoons enjoy the dark, so a strategically placed flashlight can be a deterrent. Because they’re also put off by strange noises, playing a small radio may help keep them at bay. Finally, raccoons hate the smell of ammonia, so leave a saucer full of the stuff (or an ammonia-dipped rag) near the creatures’ entry point.

What are raccoons afraid of?

Raccoons aren’t fond of spicy smells, so a cayenne pepper spray can be an easy and effective raccoon repellent. Mix a small bottle of cayenne pepper with a bottle of hot sauce, then add both to a gallon of water and shake well. Spray this pepper solution around your plants, bushes, and other garden greenery.

What home remedy kills raccoons?

1 Use Ammonia
Ammonia has a powerful smell just like urine, and raccoons hate it. Just put some ammonia in a small dish and place it near the trash can. You can also dip tennis balls in ammonia and throw them at the rodents’ favorite area.

Will vinegar get rid of raccoons?

Raccoons dislike the smell of both ammonia and vinegar, so either of these ingredients can help you repel them from your property.

Does Epsom salt keep raccoons away?

Epsom salt is a double benefit because not only will it deter raccoons, but it is an excellent fertilizer. Sprinkle some Epsom salt around places like garbage cans and gardens to keep them out.

Do wind chimes keep raccoons away?

Wind chimes are a passive noise deterrent to keep raccoons as well as other unwelcome critters away.

Where do raccoons live during the day?

During the day, raccoons find shelter in all environments. In urban areas, raccoons sleep in abandoned cars, dumpsters, and sewer drains, but hide in attics, garages, and underneath decks in suburban areas. In the wilderness, they live sleep in tree hollows, under rocks, and vacant animal dens.

What foods are poisonous to racoons?

Are There Any Foods They Can’t Eat?

• Chocolate, onions, raisins and macadamia nuts are toxic to raccoons.
• Garlic and bread aren’t toxic, but they can upset a raccoon’s digestion.
• Coffee, cocoa and candies can cause health problems in raccoons.