Help a raccoon broke in.

[TheOgdensmenagerie]

How did this happen?! They have been out there for 2 weeks and this happens last night?! They took one hen, my only BO hen about 8 weeks old. I'm very upset.

I'm thinking of putting 2 boards on the bottom of the pen and then adding a heavy duty wire to the outside of the boards. So itll be heavy duty wire outside, boards in the middle, and chicken wire inside. Does this sound like enough!

Any advice welcomed!!

 

[Folly's place]

NEVER relocate a predator like a raccoon or opossum!!! It's illegal in many (most) states, bad for the animal, and relocates a trap wise varmit whom loves chicken. Trap and shoot, or don't trap at all. Mary

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Yes, was it just stapled on? Chicken wire is not predator proof regardless of how it is attached, though. It's just meant to contain chickens, not protect them.

 

[Chrysostomist]

New to chickens here and haven't built a coop before, but I was wondering how is that chicken wire secured to the wood frame?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Hardware cloth attached with screws and washers every 12-18" and you can use staples in between them should work okay. I also recommend adding a skirt around if you have digging predators such as foxes around. I don't know if raccoons are inclined to dig but I know they are persistent. I would also set a trap, because that one will be back for round two of the buffet.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Quote:
Looks great! I hope you get the raccoon and get him out of your hair. I am not some animal killing enthusiast but I do worry about my birds and feel better when a known predator that is creeping around can no longer be a threat. Good luck!

 

[Folly's place]

I use hardware cloth, and 2"x4" woven wire over it on the lower 4' of my run/ coop. Fence staples, then 1"x4" boards screwed into the framing. No chicken wire anywhere. We learn, usually the hard way. So sorry for your loss! Mary

 

[bobbi-j]

Yes I hope I trap the booger too and I'm going to relocate him down to the river about 10 miles away. If it was a possum it would be a different story lol!!
Thanks for the pics Mary! I still have to wire my chicken run which luckily I hadnt bought chicken wire for yet.

Please do not relocate him. If you're not going to kill it, don't bother trapping it. Relocation is illegal in many states because of the threat of spreading diseases like rabies and distemper from one place to another. It also does not do any good for the animal you have relocated. You're dropping it off in what's likely the territory of another raccoon that will likely try to fight it off, possibly seriously injuring or even killing it. The relocated animal has to find food and water sources and a home. It's in foreign territory so it has to find its way. If you dump it off near other people, you are now making your trap-wise animal someone else's problem. I don't appreciate people dumping off animals "out in the country" where I live. I have enough to deal with for predators without dealing with yours.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Once you stop feeding the wildlife chicken dinners they lose interest in getting into the run anyway.

 

[pioneerchick816]

I read on another thread that a lady has had a bobcat hanging off her hardware cloth covered run

so I'd say it's the best bet!