Raccoons and ducks

[kysilkies]

I know, old thread, it came up in google search...

We've lost 4 ducks in as many days...We actually thought a person may have stolen one as the first one gone was a beautiful white Pekin and there was no sign of a struggle, not one stray feather...And the way the door was opened, coop is shaped like tent, one side is what we open and close it at night with a board wedged against it, that wood was still wedged but the door was pulled open on one side, looked like a person did it...

Yesterday morning, I get up at 630, look outside as I always do, all good, lay back down for an hour before letting everyone out, look outside and the same group of birds are now out and 2 more are gone...This time they left a drag mark, with feathers, going under the fence...

Tonight my wife is walking out the door to get me about 1am and hears a quack and sees 2 ducks(khakis from a different coop) loose in the yard...A quick search reveals they took the female that was with them...Door afixed the same way...ALL similar doors now have truck tires against them...They also almost their way the 3/4" plywood door...Not sure what stopped them, they were very close...I also put a light out there so we can see these particular coops better, they didn't have good outside lighting, we didn't think they needed it...

We reinforced the doors, I'll do more when I can, being a trucker, time is limited...Didn't get home tonight until 2am to get this news...It's been a bad week around here...I did manage to set 2 cage traps as well...

Any ideas of things we can put in yard to deter them from coming in short of another animal, we have 5 dogs all of whom will fight the coons, but only for the right to kill the ducks themselves, so that's no good...Dog poop?...Dog pee?...Will the light deter them?...HELP! Please...

 

[Going Quackers]

Raccoons are a massive pain! cute buggers but awful for poultry. They can cause some real damage they have ripped apart my garbage boxes before.

My coops are heavy and strong, my big duck barn has a solid wood door. The chicken coops are solid, and i have a super thick floor on the one that is elevated.

I would suggest a door replacement, i have a hasp and lock on the big duck barns door, the small coop has locks as it has latches like found on wood gates and the big chicken coop again, has a slide lock with a an extra latch. It's said a two step process makes it more difficult for them to open.

They are highly dexterous, so that always has to be kept in mind. Think like what you can do with your own hands, obviously they are not as strong as a man but they are strong none the less.

Sorry for your loses, that would be very upsetting!

 

[kysilkies]

Even after reinforcing doors with tires leaning on them, they struck again...Flipped a 40lb tire over and killed another Khaki...

HOWEVER, one minute bit of happiness, the duck taken last night CAME BACK this morning...It has a cut on throat and small hole in bill and of course, shook up, but alive!!!!!!...Wife's timing last night must have scared it off before it killed it...

We did find ALL the other carcasses, not more than 15' into woods...We had both walked the area and neither saw them due to think coverage, but now we have and we have a plan...

I've found endless articles on using Golden Malrin and soda, if used properly(well, not per it's designed usage), it's almost instantaneous and highly effective...I'll post our results, hopefully later today...

 

[kysilkies]

Raccoons are a massive pain! cute buggers but awful for poultry. They can cause some real damage they have ripped apart my garbage boxes before.

My coops are heavy and strong, my big duck barn has a solid wood door. The chicken coops are solid, and i have a super thick floor on the one that is elevated.

I would suggest a door replacement, i have a hasp and lock on the big duck barns door, the small coop has locks as it has latches like found on wood gates and the big chicken coop again, has a slide lock with a an extra latch. It's said a two step process makes it more difficult for them to open.

They are highly dexterous, so that always has to be kept in mind. Think like what you can do with your own hands, obviously they are not as strong as a man but they are strong none the less.

Sorry for your loses, that would be very upsetting!

The doors on our duck coops are basically one whole side of the coop, 3/4" plywood...We did it like this for easy access inside coop for cleaning and egg gathering...I am going to reconsider their designs today...When I saw the tire they flipped, I was very impressed and felt challenged to beat this...Darn it, I'm the top of the food chain on this property!!!!! ;-)

 

[Miss Lydia]

The doors on our duck coops are basically one whole side of the coop, 3/4" plywood...We did it like this for easy access inside coop for cleaning and egg gathering...I am going to reconsider their designs today...When I saw the tire they flipped, I was very impressed and felt challenged to beat this...Darn it, I'm the top of the food chain on this property!!!!! ;-)

A family of raccoons can work together to get to our flock. sorry for your losses.

 

[SJUDD]

I was told that you can purchase Fox or Mountain Lion urine from a local zoo and spread it around the perimeter and it will keep the racoons away. I haven't tried that yet though.
We built their "vault" for them to go into at night... it is all plywood except for the floor which is 1/4" hardwire cloth. The door is locked every night with a lock that is hard for ME to open to keep the racoons from getting it open. Over the last two years I have lost 4 adults and 6 bablies to racoons so I have learned the hard way. My ducks had to be herded into the vault for the first few weeks but now as soon as the sun starts to set, they hed in on their own and I just go out and lock it.
Wish you the best!

 

[Jamie Wagner]

Is our ducks safe if they r in an enclosed run that has wire mesh around it unfortunately theres a mother racoon and two babies my ducks let me kbow when someone or something is near them

 

[Gypsy52]

Ok, I have a little dilemma. I have duck that a friend bought as a duckling. Her legs started to buckle and no one did anything about splinting. I didn't get her until about 6 wks. They called her Gimpy, are you kidding me. I call her Tessie. I tried PT, BUT THAT didn't help.. She swims well and gets around on her elbow. She is now a 1/3 size of her sisters. I have a chicken coup thhat has ducks in it.. I have 5, 2 month olds that hatched in August. mama duck is on another set in a nest. Because Tessie so stinky in the house I was thinking about setting her up in the nest no one uses, put thick bedding in there. I have insuilation behind it, put a door on it, so she can't fall out. Will she be warm enough alone in the nest? The coldest it gets is 5 below just a couple of days. I'm in Red Lodge Colorado

 

[Gypsy52]

TESSIE

 

[Miss Lydia]

What a precious picture. I think having her in her own space would be fine as long as she has good ventilation and she won't be in any drafts when it gets that cold out. Ducks are hardy.

I'd try putting her on some B vitamins even though she is older than when we usually start our ducklings on them You can use Brewers yeast/nutritional yeast 1 Tab to 1 cup of feed or plain niacin mixed into water or sprinkled over feed at least 125-150 mgs of niacin per day given fresh daily. Sure can't hurt and might help some water fowl that are fed chicken feed from start need to be supplemented on Niacin because they require more than chickens do.
http://metzerfarms.blogspot.com/2011/03/are-my-ducklings-leg-problems-due-to.html


Bless you for taking her, maybe she will be accepted into the flock if you can make her new space where she can see the others and her them. Ducks need a flock to stay happy and healthy.