Help a raccoon broke in.

[drumstick diva]

Every thing gets through chicken wire, except Chickens. You can see how easily the raccoon got in.

 

[lovin life]

Feel your pain we've had chickens a few years with no problem then late last summer a raccoon took our pair of speckled Sussex. I like the hardware cloth idea. Thanks for sharing the advise.

 

[TinyBirds]

Hardware cloth (prefer 16 gauge but 19 is ok too) secured around the whole thing including top, plus add an apron around the bottom outside to discourage digging. We,ve had persistant raccoons around here that will work every night until eventually digging right through plywood boards to get inside what we thought was a super sturdy wood structure. Now i went to open air pens using nylon coated 1/2" square 16 gauge expensive welded wire from fencerwire, and no problems. Secure well every 3 inches around at all seams and edges. Those raccoons can squeeze through very tiny holes or gaps.

 

[FrankHomestead]

What state are you in? In most every state a trapping license allows you to kill the animal too since that's what's done with the animals that have been trapped. You can't sell a fur from a live animal. Even though trapping coons may be out of season at the moment where you're at, in most cases you're allowed to kill animals threatening livestock even without a hunting license which is what happened to you. Maybe check with the your local Game and Fish first but I'm sure there'll be different rules for depredation than hunting. Nuisance trappers/pest control people remove and euthanize pests like coons all the time without a hunting license. If you don't want to kill him that's totally fine - your choice, but like the others said, please don't trap him if you're planning to release him. That's a bad scene all the way around. Just my opinion but that coon did do something wrong - he killed your bird. All predators everywhere are only doing what they're programmed to do but we have to protect the animals under our responsibility too - that's a chicken keepers instinct just like a sheep herder protects his stock from coyotes.

On another note, you're hardware cloth looks good and should provide ample protection. Like the other person said, if you haven't already, either lay down a hardware cloth skirt that's at least 2' out or bury the hardware cloth down to 18" minimum. Don't leave any openings and make sure all wood joints, etc. are very secure. Coons are some of the hardest predators to protect against. I actually put key locks on all my coops, nest boxes, and pens. I don't trust combination locks because a coon would probably figure out the combination. 

Hahahahahah

 

[eggbert420]

Hahahahahah

 

[Duaut]

why not use a 3-4 wire energized fence to keep them out?
nowadays it's cheap, $120 for stakes a solar energizer and steel 17g wire.
some time and secure birds. I've never had a coon cross my wires
and I've watched many vids of them getting slapped by the electricity
and run away. No coyotes, dogs cats possums etc have ever crossed the wire yet...after a lifetime(50+yrs) of farming.