If you have chickens, you may be wondering how to keep raccoons away. Raccoons are a problem because they find chickens easy prey. Raccoons can also get at wild bird feeders and ground-spread seed. It is imperative that you prevent these animals from entering your chicken coop and run. Here are some ways to avoid them from gaining access to your chickens.
Predators like raccoons are highly intelligent animals, able to open latches, dig underneath wire mesh fencing, and open fences. Raccoons will take advantage of even minor flaws in your chicken coop. In fact, you may have to consider humane trapping to get rid of raccoons in your area. But don’t panic if you can’t keep raccoons away from your chicken coop.
To deter raccoons from gaining access to your chicken coop, make sure you place the coop in a place where they cannot get easy access. Whether your chickens live in a coop or run, raccoons are likely to enter it at night. To keep predators out, use a raccoon repellent in the ground surrounding your chicken coop. Make sure the repellent is buried at least two to three feet deep. Also, place a few motion activated sprinklers in the area. Remember to place the sprays at night.
One simple way to keep raccoons away from your chicken coop is to remove any sources of food. Chickens tend to be dirty, and food sources left in your backyard are an easy snack for raccoons. Therefore, removing food from your chicken coop will discourage passing scavengers and other pest wildlife from visiting your chicken coop. If you notice any signs of raccoon activity, immediately move the bird feeders and garbage bins to the front yard.
Some raccoon repellents are very effective. A hot pepper mixture or cayenne pepper can be mixed with a gallon of water. After mixing the two ingredients, spray the greenery around your chicken coop and garden. Another repellent for raccoons is Epsom salt. Sprinkle it around the perimeter of your garden or vegetable patch. Raccoons are deterred by the smell and will leave your coop free of your chickens.
In addition to the above precautions, you can make your chicken coop more raccoon-proof by installing a dog-run. A dog’s bark will scare away raccoons, but it is not enough. It’s also a good idea to hire professional trappers or exterminators to eliminate the raccoons. Then, you can start enjoying your chickens without worrying about raccoons.
Another way to keep raccoons away from your chicken coop is to install a wire-mesh apron around the perimeter of the coop or run. Raccoons can easily bend chicken wire, so the best solution is to use a hardware cloth or another material with fine mesh. If a mesh-covered raccoon does get in, they will dig through it like tissue paper.
What animals does Epsom salt repel?
– Deter Raccoons – Somehow it was discovered that Racoons do not like the smell of Epsom Salts. … – Deter Slugs – Sprinkle Epsom salt where the slugs are found and you will not have a slug problem anymore!
What does ammonia do to raccoons?
Raccoons usually don’t pee in their main bedding area, though they are happy to do so elsewhere inside an attic. Ammonia is one of the chemicals found in urine. The smell of ammonia is said to trick raccoons into thinking the area is soiled. Then, they will move on thinking the den or food source is ruined.
What do raccoons do to chickens?
Raccoons attack chickens by biting the head or upper neck area, usually tearing off the entire head and leaving it a distance away from the body. The breast and crop may also be eaten, chewed, or mutilated, and the organs are also normally eaten.
Do raccoons hate the smell of ammonia?
Ammonia is another thing raccoons hate the smell of, so you can deter raccoons by placing it around your property. You can soak rags in ammonia and place them under your house, in the bottom of garbage cans and at the bottom of trees in your yard. You can also fill bowls with ammonia and place those accordingly.
What naturally keeps raccoons away?
Spices like cinnamon, black pepper or cayenne pepper bother a raccoon’s sense of smell, forcing it to relocate to a more livable area. By mixing cayenne pepper and onion in boiling water, you can create a natural raccoon repellant. You can add hot sauce to the mixture, as well.
Do raccoons dig into chicken coops?
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.S
What smell 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.
Does vinegar keep raccoons away?
Here are some tips on raccoon control to prevent them from identifying your home as a place to nest or frequently visit. Raccoons hate the smell of apple cider vinegar (and so do some humans!). Soak a cloth in apple cider vinegar and place it in an aerated container near the den. The smell will deter them!S
What is digging into my chicken coop?
The most common invaders of chicken coops are rats, black rat snakes, skunks, weasels, mice, mink, opossum, raccoon, and of course, coyotes and foxes.
Does Epsom salt keep raccoons away?
Continuing in the vein of undesirable scents, Epsom salt is another ingredient that keeps raccoons away. For the most effective protection, sprinkle Epsom salt both inside and surrounding your vegetable garden.
What smell do raccoons hate the most?
– Hot Pepper Keeps Raccoons at bay- Hot pepper is one of the most potent scents that can eradicate raccoons because it irritates their sense of smell. … – Spray a concoction of onion and pepper- … – Peppermint essential oil- … – Garlic juice- … – Epsom Salt-
Will racoons kill chickens?
Raccoons are nocturnal and will attack your chickens at night, when they are most vulnerable. Roosting chickens won’t try to get away and you may not hear any sounds of your chickens being attacked. Most attacks on your chickens that happen at night are due to raccoons.
What smells do raccoons hate or avoid?
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 the best raccoon deterrent?
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.
What can I spray to keep raccoons away?
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. By mixing cayenne pepper and onion in boiling water, you can create a natural raccoon repellant.
