A few years ago one of our neighbors was cited by the town for keeping chickens. He’d never had an issue before (in fact he’d been keeping them for maybe a good 3-4 years). But because his fenced backyard overlooks the park he let his chickens free range (and they always went into their coop at night), their presence invited the local coyote pack as well as the raccoons. Let’s say it wasn’t pretty. He no longer keeps livestock of any kind.
There’s a market for bandit hides also. Guy I work with traps several animal species and is always willing to set and tend a trap to lower the local racoon density.
ETA: he’ll also release any cats he gets and “relocate” possum to their eternal reward.
Just a reminder to astro and to folks in general that the two-click rule for NSFW content applies to more than just nudity/pornography. Yes, I realize that you can make an argument that the subject matter might be enough of a warning, but I think the graphic nature of both of astro’s links warrants a proper warning and two clicks.
As such, I’ve edited astro’s links to put them in a spoiler box.
In Colorado it was recommended that my brother in law build an enclosure with a roof. Bears, owls, raccoons, coyotes, mountain lions - anything and everything liked the easy pickings of the chicken coop. A lot of which can scale a fence. Or dig under a fence. Or just - in the case of a bear - take out a fence if it isn’t a good fence.
So they moved the chickens to the basement until they could build a multi thousand dollar enclosure for a dozen chickens.
To get rid of an animal that has already found your coop, foot traps and a .22 (or a shovel if you’re in suburbia, or you can call animal control).
When I was young we had chickens we kept in a wire enclosed coop. It was fine for several years until a raccoon started reaching through the wire and pulling the chickens out (lots of blood and feathers). We could see exactly where he was doing it every other night or so, so we went to the farm supply store and bought some foot traps. Next morning we came out there he was and that was that.
But long term yes, you or your kid has to do the nightly chore of putting the chickens up in a fully enclosed area at some point. That’s standard practice when you have chickens. Varmints will find and target them.
Thread title edited to remove potentially offensive ambiguity.
Unfortunately, it’s not legal to trap raccoons where we live. Although if I catch one in the act, I’ve got a shovel and an axe handy
The 4 survivors remain traumatized. I was away on a business trip for the past week, and not one egg. They were laying a reduced winter schedule before the St Valentine’s Day massacre. Finally willing to go out in the extended open run but acting pretty lethargic. Tossed in a big handful of meal worms, which usually cause a shark like feeding frenzy, but now a delayed lacklaisical peck.
The local chicken supply house got their first batch of chicks in on Friday and are sold out. Next Wed comes the big shipment and I think we’ll get an Ameracauna, and a couple of Black Australorpe or Sex Link chicks to restock the flock.
I’ve never heard of scenario anywhere in the US where you could not legally live trap and remove nuisance raccoons from your property. Are you referring to just kill traps or both types?
I live in rural Maine, so our laws are not your laws (et al…)
My Racoon / opossum removal solution?
A large Havahart trap and / or one of my varmint removal firearms
The last Racoon I removed was late at night, in a tree right next to the coop, eyeballing the coop and trying to work out a way in…
I had my CZ- 452 Ultra Lux (.22lr with 28.5" barrel) with me, loaded with CCI Segmented Subsonic hollow points, and a flashlight held against the stock
I lined up the iron sights between the eye shine, pulled the trigger and dropped the varmint with one shot, the gun was quiet enough that I didn’t need hearing protection, the combination of subsonic ammo and long barrel make it naturally “suppressed”
Depending on your firearm laws, a long barreled .22 might work, barrel lengths 24" or above are very quiet with subsonics
According to the WA State site on raccoons. The raccoon is classified as both a furbearer and a game animal (WAC 232-12-007). A hunting or trapping license is required to hunt or trap raccoons during an open season. A property owner or the owner’s immediate family, employee, or tenant may kill or trap a raccoon on that property if it is damaging crops or domestic animals (RCW 77.36.030). In such cases, no permit is necessary for the use of live (cage) traps. However, a special trapping permit is required for the use of all traps other than live traps (RCW 77.15.192, 77.15.194; WAC 232-12-142).
So, seems like I can trap and release. Although the same site goes to warn that trap and release generally is a death warrant to the varments.
I couldn’t find the relative section for King County, but knowing King Country (Seattle and burbs), I’m 99% certain a .22 in the backyard ain’t allowed tempting as that is. 
So trap and … “release” the rampaging raccoon from all worldly cares and woes.
I see what you did there.
Play dog barking sounds?
Brian
Get some cheap cat food. Put out large bowl plus large bowl of water.
Cheap entertainment and then they will leave your chickens alone- assuming you take reasonable precautions.
Nope, the raccoons will eat the “appetizer” cat food, then wait for an opportune moment to raid the chicken “main course”
They are very lazy. Once full, they wont kill. Other mustilids will kill for joy, not raccoons.