Any ideas to keep them out?

[Gigi1147]

I live in The Napa, CA area, and I have 5 outdoor cats that don't care about the chickens, but what concerns me is that I have raccoon with her two babies, and a grey fox. Any ideas to keep them out? I already have a lock on the coop door but I heard scratching on the coop the other night and chased the raccoon off. I am afraid that it will try to scratch the wood and try to get in.

 

[angel8035]

I already have a lock on the coop door but I heard scratching on the coop the other night and chased the raccoon off. I am afraid that it will try to scratch the wood and try to get in.

Raccoons are one of the most dangerous chicken predators. You must have a very secure coop since you know they are in the area. It must be solid wood with any openings securely screened in with 1/2 inch hardware cloth. If you use chicken wire, a raccoon can either break through the wire or reach in and grab hold of your chickens and severely injure or kill them. Also make sure the doors are latched with something that a raccoon cannot open. Good luck!

 

[Triple Willow]

I live in The Napa, CA area, and I have 5 outdoor cats that don't care about the chickens, but what concerns me is that I have raccoon with her two babies, and a grey fox. Any ideas to keep them out? I already have a lock on the coop door but I heard scratching on the coop the other night and chased the raccoon off. I am afraid that it will try to scratch the wood and try to get in.                                                                             :cd   :yiipchick   

You could catch them and relocate them or... catch them and bbq them. They are tasty! lol You could also install an electric wire around your coop/run at the top and bottom.

 

[Triple Willow]

...or you could shoot them.

 

[brains]

Don't want to hijack but using the 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the coop is good,can you use chicken for the run, since they will not be in the run at night but secured in the coop or just use the hardware cloth everywhere
Thanks

 

[Gigi1147]

Thank you very much! I think I am going to catch them, I see them a lot because they like to eat my cats' food.

 

[Gigi1147]

But I do have a BB Gun Lol

 

[angel8035]

Don't want to hijack but using the 1/2 inch hardware cloth on the coop is good,can you use chicken for the run, since they will not be in the run at night but secured in the coop or just use the hardware cloth everywhere
Thanks

I have heard of chickens getting their wings/heads pulled off by a raccoon sticking his arm through chicken wire. Also, chicken wire will not hold up to bigger animals like dogs. You will PROBABLY be okay during the day, but it is still a risk that a raccoon may come by during the day. It's up to you - you think you are safe and then something happens and it just makes you sick. I lost my original flock to a BEAR. It took the wall off of a solid wood building and ate 7 out of 8 full grown birds - my Golden Campine somehow escaped and I found her the next day walking around the open coop. It is a horrible feeling to see evidence of a predator and then have to check the coop/run for casualties.

 

[angel8035]

Thank you very much! I think I am going to catch them, I see them a lot because they like to eat my cats' food.

Remember that shooting/catching only works if you are there to do it. Make sure your birds are protected first and foremost by building a secure coop.

 

[Gigi1147]

THANK YOU