Help me predator proof my coop

[Meegnmike]

Hi, last week we had a raccoon kill two of our chickens. We saw the raccoon in the video so we definitely know it was a raccoon. We found how he was getting in and secured that area. This morning one of our silkies was killed. It looks like the predator possibly chewed through the chicken wire and yanked her out (see picture) i don’t think this was a raccoon, the opening was way too small for the raccoon we saw in the prior video (not that there couldn’t be more then one raccoon) What animal literally leaves almost the whole body? I know we have opossums in our area as well. Also what is the best gage chicken wire to predator proof? We may have to redo our coop. What else can I use to deter predators? I hear that raccoons don’t like cayenne pepper and hot sauce We live in Tacoma, Wa (if that helps narrow down what predators we have). Thanks so much

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

Replace the chicken wire with 1/2” 19 gauge hardware cloth. Almost every predator can either tear chicken wire apart or fit through (raccoon hand or mink) to get a chicken.

 

[CluckyandPeepsFlock]

I second CaliforniaMountainChicks.

Electric wire running along the bottom and top of fence helps.
We have had success as well with blinking predator lights we got off Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Phosooy-Repe...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[Meegnmike]

What about using 16x4 ft cattle panels? We have a 10x20 dog kennel we use for our run. We’re thinking if We put cattle panels up along the base, predators couldn’t chew through that. Then use the 19 gauge wire to fill in the gaps. Maybe ?

 

[Meegnmike]

Replace the chicken wire with 1/2” 19 gauge hardware cloth. Almost every predator can either tear chicken wire apart or fit through (raccoon hand or mink) to get a chicken.

What about using 16x4 ft cattle panels? We have a 10x20 dog kennel we use for our run. We’re thinking if We put cattle panels up along the base, predators couldn’t chew through that. Then use the 19 gauge wire to fill in the gaps. Maybe ?

 

[CaliforniaMountainChicks]

What about using 16x4 ft cattle panels? We have a 10x20 dog kennel we use for our run. We’re thinking if We put cattle panels up along the base, predators couldn’t chew through that. Then use the 19 gauge wire to fill in the gaps. Maybe ?

Cattle panels with hardware cloth would work. You want the small openings of the hardware cloth because raccoons rip chickens apart if they can get their hands in there. I’ve even heard of hawks doing the same. Hardware cloth will also protect agains snakes and weasels/minks. The cattle panels are really good for strong land predators like dogs, bobcats, etc.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Are you locking them in a coop at night? Reason I ask is that I too saw a Racoon climbing over my chain link run on my game cam sometime in the night. It couldn't have gotten my chickens because they were locked in the coop. I put a bright flood light on the back of my coop where I feed my feral cats and started pulling in the cat food (I've always pulled the chicken food,) at night. No more Racoon when there is nothing to work to get in for.... I thought about re-enforcing my chain link run with hardware cloth but mine free-range almost all day so my run isn't really about protection from smaller predators.

 

[Meegnmike]

Yes, they are locked up at night. We have a 10x20 run that’s cover in chicken wire. We then have their coop that’s attached to the run so they can go in and out of both.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Yes, they are locked up at night. We have a 10x20 run that’s cover in chicken wire. We then have their coop that’s attached to the run so they can go in and out of both.

So the coop house itself is open to the chicken wire run all night or the coop house is closed up, no run access until you open it? Just asking because it matters. As you know chicken wire will keep out nothing. If only it's name was "temporary wire," instead of "chicken wire," it might really help the chicken world. It's just flat out sub-par for a predator proof Run. But at least you can lock them in the coop house and not let them out until Coons are gone while you're building a better Run.

 

[Meegnmike]

Yes, everything/everyone is locked up at night. The chicken wire seemed to work fine, but we recently moved and obviously have a predator situation . Definitely will be “predator proofing” today.