spring chickens vs. spring coons

[Kanitz8541]

Just turned my birds out and they have been slowly disappearing. I got the idea to set a few 2.5 traps and in one week it yielded six coons. Id say we have a problem!!!

[dbosman]

You sure do. There are a lot more recipes for chicken than for coon.
Don't forget to thank your nearest city folks for dropping off their live trapped critters.

[Magana559]

Eat the coons, slow roasted they are very good.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Last time I tried to raise chickens. The owls,weasels, foxes and coons made short work of them when I turned them out. Took two weeks for them to learn when I opened the door and when it would be shut. One week to feed on most of them, fox stuck in the pen. Owl had 3 one evening, dropped one at door, one about 20 ft. away had one died inside, I was 10 minutes late shutting the door was not even dark. Never tried after that. Now we even have coyotes.

When I was a kid, 40 years ago I recall just leaving them free run and they had a fair chance. 30 years ago we had Cotton Tails, Ruffed Grouse, some Ring-necks, more Squirrels. We had no Turkeys. Now all we can hunt is Squirrels, Turkeys, and Deer, few days maybe Ring-necks at Game-lands. Gone are the days of leaving the farm and just pick a direction, and have good small game hunting, leave the farm no rabbits. Of the dozens of places we did hunt small game only two are still places to hunt. Gone are the days of running Cotton Tails all day. But those days ended 10-15 years ago. No rabbits dogs in the pen any longer.

[CastingFool]

A friend who raises chickens for eggs and meat, all of a sudden, started losing chickens. Raccoons got a few, but turned out it was a few of his barn cats that were killing the chickens. Needless to say, he has lot fewer barn cats now.

[Geezer in NH]

For chickens try an electric fence they make a fowl fence and my son & I have not lost a hen since we started using it 3 years ago.

We also use a fence, normal 3 wire electric, around our field and garden no more bear problems either. To train the coons and bear hand bacon strips from the wire fence.

[trapper9260]

We put the birds in a fence in pen but make sure it was weld wire because the coon can anything else can pull it apart.last year we lost 29 chicks due to coon and they torn chick wire apart and took all the chicks out in one night .Also had the coon do it with turkey chicks also.Also make sure you have a roof on the pen that way nothing over head able to fly in also.

[farmallcrew]

I'm planning on putting up a chicken coop, with a pretty good run under it. But its going to be with in 22lr distance at the bottom of the hill. My house is on the side of the mountain, so if i go out the garage door and look right, i got up into the woods, i look left i look at the old cow pasture.

Having the chicken coop would bring my coon numbers up for trapping season, but i don't know if a Warden would come by and try and argue " your baiting the coon with chickens" buuuuuuttttt 1 thing we rare see out here is the Game Warden, the only time we see a State Cop is when somthting bad happens here, the only time we see Game Warden is usually the first day of rifle deer. Out here we are the judge, jury and executioner, unless the statey shows up in time. haha

[WRideout]

Teddy, I'm not a native of PA, but I sympathize with your comments. I'm one of those guys who would rather fish for bluegills and hunt rabbits than do bass tournaments and hang trophy bucks on the wall. Last year I did hunt with a friend in Connoquennesing who has a gentleman's farm. We hunted with his pair of beagles, and I got the only rabbit, which did make me proud.

One year I was hunting squirrels in Moraine Park (which is legal). I was headed back to my car along the North Country trail, with two squirrels in my bag, when I ran into a group of yuppies hiking toward me; you know, new stylish outdoor clothes, perfect hair, etc. I met the first guy, and talked to him since I was carrying my 12 ga Winchester. He seemed cool, and understood that I was out hunting. I walked a few more feet, and a woman in the group shrieked "He has a gun!" I told her, "Yes m'am, I'm wearing orange." By way of saying I'm a licensed hunter. She said "I'm wearing pink." You just can't talk to some people.

Wayne