Here's a video of the raccoons on our back porch eating dogfood. They do enjoy their food. And never do they touch our trash. I know the video is a little dark, it was taken at nighttime. I hope you can see it ok!
Raccoons aren't my favorite because they tend to wipe out entire chicken flocks, but they certainly are cute. I'm live and let live, but make sure my coop is locked up tight each night.
Better to feed them dog food than to have them get after your chickens and guineas. Raccoons are clever critters, I wouldn't be surprised if they someday figure out how to open the chicken run door.
Great video! I will have to show my son, ever since he read Rascal he has wanted his own. It doesn't help that I tell him stories when I had mine. I do love raccoons and this is nice to see them eating on your back porch. I love how they stand up on their hind legs, I forgot they did that.
Very cute! When we lived in suburbia, we had a neighbor who had a nightly raccoon visit. He'd come in through the doggy door, eat the dog's food while the old dog watched, and leave!
I can't figure out how you've been able to keep all your birds safe!! Clearly, you have exceptionally well-behaved raccoons on your side of the country. Oregon raccoons could take some lessons in manners from yours. lol :-)
CeeCee - our chickens cannot totally free-range because of foxes. Coons don't bother the chickens, just the fox. Coons would probably love the eggs if they could get to them, though. Our chickens have a huge enclosed area where they can go outside & run and sit in trees and dig up dirt and do what chickens like to do.
Chai Chai - You are right, they are smart critters. Once in a previous house they turned the doorknob to come into my back door. They knew the doorknob turned and I came out with treats for them. I thought someone was trying to break into the house, but when I looked out the back window, there were 2 coons hanging from the doorknob!
Farm Girl - I remember your Rascal story. If you do get another coon you'll have plenty of people who would love to hear about him on your blog!!!
Terry - Not that made me laugh! The coon wouldn't bother anything else in the house? Too funny!
CAGrammy - When we 1st moved here into the woods the coons went into our trash every night. It was a major pain. They were hungry. We don't have a protected place for the trash cans, so we'd try to weigh the trashcan lids down. Then we started feeding the coons, and now they never bother our trash, ever. We never weigh the lids down anymore. They prefer dry dog food to anything else. And we have a deal with the coons. I don't think they'd ever mess with the actual chickens, although they did climb the 10 ft high fence into the chicken pen before we put on the pen roof to taste the dry chicken food.
Gail - Yes, you're right. But they were here before I arrived. I'm living in their woods.
Danni - We have an arrangement with the coonies. If only we could train the fox and the hawks as well...
They are SO cute!!! SO far we have had no raccoon/chicken issues, but our coop is Fort Knox, and the chickens now only free-range when we are with them. I really like raccoons. They are very endearing.
Barb - No we haven't named the coons! I am finally starting to be able to tell them apart now, though!
John Gray - I'm not afraid of rabies at all. I have never seen a rabid animal. The coons eat from my hands now, I think they are more afraid of me than I am of them. They are darlings.
12 comments:
Raccoons aren't my favorite because they tend to wipe out entire chicken flocks, but they certainly are cute.
I'm live and let live, but make sure my coop is locked up tight each night.
Better to feed them dog food than to have them get after your chickens and guineas. Raccoons are clever critters, I wouldn't be surprised if they someday figure out how to open the chicken run door.
Great video! I will have to show my son, ever since he read Rascal he has wanted his own. It doesn't help that I tell him stories when I had mine. I do love raccoons and this is nice to see them eating on your back porch. I love how they stand up on their hind legs, I forgot they did that.
Very cute! When we lived in suburbia, we had a neighbor who had a nightly raccoon visit. He'd come in through the doggy door, eat the dog's food while the old dog watched, and leave!
Do they get into the dog food or is it there for their pleasure? I guess they really are cute as long as they aren't making a mess of your trash.
They know the right places to visit!
I can't figure out how you've been able to keep all your birds safe!!
Clearly, you have exceptionally well-behaved raccoons on your side of the country. Oregon raccoons could take some lessons in manners from yours. lol :-)
CeeCee - our chickens cannot totally free-range because of foxes. Coons don't bother the chickens, just the fox. Coons would probably love the eggs if they could get to them, though. Our chickens have a huge enclosed area where they can go outside & run and sit in trees and dig up dirt and do what chickens like to do.
Chai Chai - You are right, they are smart critters. Once in a previous house they turned the doorknob to come into my back door. They knew the doorknob turned and I came out with treats for them. I thought someone was trying to break into the house, but when I looked out the back window, there were 2 coons hanging from the doorknob!
Farm Girl - I remember your Rascal story. If you do get another coon you'll have plenty of people who would love to hear about him on your blog!!!
Terry - Not that made me laugh! The coon wouldn't bother anything else in the house? Too funny!
CAGrammy - When we 1st moved here into the woods the coons went into our trash every night. It was a major pain. They were hungry. We don't have a protected place for the trash cans, so we'd try to weigh the trashcan lids down. Then we started feeding the coons, and now they never bother our trash, ever. We never weigh the lids down anymore. They prefer dry dog food to anything else. And we have a deal with the coons. I don't think they'd ever mess with the actual chickens, although they did climb the 10 ft high fence into the chicken pen before we put on the pen roof to taste the dry chicken food.
Gail - Yes, you're right. But they were here before I arrived. I'm living in their woods.
Danni - We have an arrangement with the coonies. If only we could train the fox and the hawks as well...
~Lynn
Those raccoons are cool. Have you named them?
and I complain about the odd badger!!!
I would be terrified of rabies!
They are SO cute!!! SO far we have had no raccoon/chicken issues, but our coop is Fort Knox, and the chickens now only free-range when we are with them. I really like raccoons. They are very endearing.
Barb - No we haven't named the coons! I am finally starting to be able to tell them apart now, though!
John Gray - I'm not afraid of rabies at all. I have never seen a rabid animal. The coons eat from my hands now, I think they are more afraid of me than I am of them. They are darlings.
Nat - Lol - our coop is Fort Knox, too!
~Lynn
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