Coming across this is almost a sure sign that a raccoon has been in the coop. You will probably notice blood in and around the coop and possible remains of your hen, such as wings, legs, and even heads. If they can’t get inside the coop, raccoons have no problem pulling your chicken through the fencing. There Will be Bloodīesides feathers and egg yolk, you will probably discover a lot of blood. And after attacking your chickens, you will find a terrible mess, and you will most likely encounter a mass of feathers, remains, and egg yolk. Raccoons do not clean up after themselves whatsoever, especially after they eat. And because raccoons are so smart, they know sleeping chickens are an easy target. Roosting hens tend to go into a very deep, trance-like sleep.īecause of their deep sleep, chickens most likely will not hear a predator breaking into their coop, and they won’t try to get away either. Sadly, this is when the hens are most vulnerable. Raccoons are creatures of the night, which is when they will go after your chickens. How Do I Know if a Raccoon Has Been in My Coop? However, even more, complex locks can be figured out by raccoons. With their unique little paws, latches on the chicken coop are usually no match for them. Raccoons can easily smell your chickens, eggs, and feed and stop at nothing to get to them. And they are excellent at remembering the fine details of things, which means they are skilled at finding your chickens. Not only are raccoons smart, but they are also curious. Raccoons tend to form stations or areas where they will frequently go, making scat easier to identify. What makes raccoon scat an issue for chicken keepers is that it commonly contains roundworm. Raccoon droppings, known as scat, are usually about ¾ in around and a few inches long. Most commonly, raccoons make a high-pitched chatter and a low-pitched growl. You’ll notice their voices around dusk when they are out hunting. Thankfully, raccoons are pretty vocal with distinct voices. These long fingers with a separate thumb give the raccoon the ability to grab and hold onto objects quite easily and open latches.Īnd those sharp claws are like tiny daggers. They are very much like a handprint with five long fingers with claws. There are several ways to tell if a family of raccoons is nearby.īecause raccoons walk on their whole paw, their prints are fairly distinctive. Babies are born in the spring and are usually ready for independence by summer. Primarily, raccoons are active during later summer and early fall as they are stocking up on food for the long winter. How Do I Know if a Raccoon Family is Nearby? Raccoons are also notorious for going through garbage cans in search of human food. Raccoons also like meat, which is often in the form of rodents and chickens. They like fruit and nuts, insects and worms. Raccoons have a wide variety when it comes to diet. And because they are vicious, determined, and deadly, they can be a major problem for chicken keepers. However, during this time, your chickens are at their most vulnerable. Raccoons are nocturnal, meaning you will usually see them at night or towards dusk. They prefer trees or in between large rocks but will make use of what is available to them. Raccoons aren’t terribly picky about where to set up shop, and they will make their dens almost anywhere that food is available. Raccoons are very intelligent and, with their dexterous paws, can easily get themselves in and out of many situations. They are medium-sized mammals native to North America and can weigh anywhere from 10 to 50 pounds! Most of us can identify a raccoon by its cute little bandit face, fluffy body, and ringtail.
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