got the call last night, goign to be switching cranes at work,,so I get a few days off. Went to bed at my "normal" time,, witht he neibhorhood dogs barking all night,,, renters can be such a pain. AT 245 am,, I heard the chickens,, woke up, and wasnt sure where I was, or what time it was. HAd to let my eyes focus before getting out of bed. When I realized it was still dark out, I knew somethign was up,,, ran outside,, loading my 22, grabbed a small flashlight, (only one that worked)

heard a comotion up a tree,, shined the light,,,and 2 eyes looked back at me,,so with fuzzy eyes,, I tried to aim,, and fired, and fired, and fired, and fired. Fianlly hit the bugger enough for it to fall,, and I plugged it again, for good measure. I checked in the coop,, 2 missing hens. Looked around and found a bantie hiding. Did a recount, brain still wasnt up to speed yet, figured out which one it was that was still missing,, went back outside,, and she was walking back in, looking bleary eyed more than me. Put her back inside and counted again,,,8 hens, and 2 chicks, yep all there.

went back to sleep,, woke up at 8 am,,,hours of sleep, that hasnt happened in awhile. Recounted the hens,, all acounted for, and no worse for wear. Found 2 holes dug, right where I buried all that fermented corn. SO I had a coon with a hangover Im thinking.

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), July 12, 2002

Answers

Glad you were able to save all the chickens. Coons can be pretty rough on a flock. I have this picture in my head of a tipsy coon though-LOL

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), July 12, 2002.

Hate coons, mean things! I could shoot them all day and night and there would still be a million. I have to keep everything well secured, it's the best "cure" around here.

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), July 12, 2002.

Last winter I had a pair of raccoons that would constantly raid one of my birdfeeders. This feeder is attached to a maple tree right outside my back door. I'd hear them climbing up to the feeder and as soon as I would open the door to shoo them off they'd just run up the tree, wait for me to leave then come back down and finish their meal!! I refuse to shoot something that's cornered in a tree so I'd do my best to pelt them with a few stones...I think they were laughing at me :-)!! One night about mid-January when it was about 15* outside, instead of trying to hit them with stones, I hooked up my hose and totally saturated them with water. I think it was freezing on their fur as they were running down that tree!! I have never seen a pair of raccoons run so fast...and they never came back!!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), July 12, 2002.

....and here,I had a pet coon :>) Well I never said I was like the rest on these boards :>)

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), July 12, 2002.

Jay, did you get it when it was a baby? My brothers caught a coon once. I've never seen anything so mean! (and sharp teeth too).

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), July 12, 2002.

Yeah Jay, you rebel you! LOL That's what I like about you!

I used to think they were pretty cute too, I still do...visually.

But after you experience their naturally bloodthirsty, visious personalities, you quickly change your mind. I've NEVER seen an animal be so rampantly violent. They will kill 100 chickens just for sport. Give me a fox any day, they take what they need to feed their young, leave the rest. Granted, back the next day if you don't learn! Coons, no, they torture, butcher. The horror stories I could tell.

-- Patty (SycamoreHollow@aol.com), July 12, 2002.

I had two baby raccoons years ago. We found them sitting on the side of the road huddled up to their mother who had just been hit by a car. We bought them home and I raised them for about 2 weeks or so...til one of my nosey neighbors reported me to the game warden!! He came and took them away. I was quite upset! They really were cute and fun to watch, and I had all intentions of releasing them when they got older! Dang nosey neighbor!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), July 12, 2002.