Lastly, you may also hear raccoons at night and wake up in the morning to your chickens being slaughtered. So look for raccoon tracks and scat around the coop and the rest of your yard. Raccoons are quite messy, so it’s not uncommon that they’ll leave signs that they’ve been there. Just like with the eggs and latches, if you notice that food containers have been opened as well, then it’s likely that a raccoon is the culprit. So if you notice the gate unlatched, a raccoon could be behind it. Raccoons are able to understand simple puzzles like latches, whereas other predators aren’t. The Gate Was UnlatchedĪnother clear indicator that raccoons were behind the killings is when the gate has been unlatched. Not only this, but if the eggs had been stored in a simple nesting box, then it’s even more likely that raccoons have taken them. Sometimes, when raccoons are done eating the chickens, they’ll take the eggs away with them. In fact, it’s not uncommon for them to do this to multiple chickens in one night. ![]() In fact, raccoons tend to only eat the breast, head, and internal organs of a chicken while leaving the rest. One of the tell-tale signs that a raccoon has killed your chicken is that not all of the body has been taken. Here are the main signs that a raccoon is behind your chicken’s death: Not All The Chicken Has Been Taken How To Tell If Raccoons Are Killing Your Chickensīefore you start trying to prevent raccoons from killing your chickens, it’s important to make sure that they’re the culprit. However, while this may attract them at first, the chickens themselves will begin to look like a much more appetizing meal. Secondly, raccoons are often attracted to the food that you’re feeding your chickens as well. ![]() Raccoons are omnivorous, dexterous, and a lot more intelligent than other predators, so getting into your chicken coop is a lot easier for them than other animals. Raccoons kill chickens because they’re hungry, and the chickens were easily accessible to them. So keep reading to find out everything you want to know! Why Do Raccoons Kill Chickens? ![]() In this article, not only will you find out how to stop it from happening, but you’ll also learn the signs to look for to know its raccoons, why they do it in the first place, and other frequently asked questions! Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Illinois Department of Natural Resources United States Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration United States Department of Agriculture National Great Rivers Research and Education Center University of Illinois Extension 2wav inc.If you want to know how to stop raccoons from killing your chickens, then you’ve found the right article. Provide birthing animals with shelter until their young are able to walk.Ĭontact USDA APHIS Wildlife Services if you are currently dealing with livestock depredation. ![]() Be sure to close up small livestock every night in a secure shelter.īlack vultures sometimes kill or severely injure newborn livestock, and they also sometimes attack the birthing female. Gauge wire can be buried under the pen/coop to prevent animals from digging under coop fencing. The best method to prevent attacks is to make sure that chickens, ducks, geese, and other small livestock have well-maintained coops so that they can take shelter. Solve a Wildlife Problem Get Help » Solve a Wildlife Problem Wildlife Killing My LivestockĬoyotes, foxes, weasels, and raccoons will take livestock if they are hungry and the opportunity presents itself. Contact an IDNR District Wildlife Biologist.Rare Visitors to Illinois: Large Carnivores.Repair Damage: What to Know Before Making Repairs.
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