ARGH! Groundhogs!

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I just moved my chicks into the coop 2 days ago. Twice a day a groundhog is breaking into the coop and getting into the chicken feed. I repair it, then he does it again. He breaks apart the wire! He's so strong. He doesn't harm the chickens, outside of scaring them to bits. The worst part of it is the holes he's leaving for other predators.

Any thoughts on how to repel, or even better...get rid of a groundhog? It's actually a family of groundhogs. I know where the burrow is. I don't have a gun, and don't care to get one. Any suggestions on reenforcing the coop?

 

[KellyHM]

What kind of wire are you currently using?

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Quote:
The coop was already here when we moved in, and honestly, I don't know anything about chicken wire.

It's hexagon shaped?

 

[bobbi-j]

Quote:
The coop was already here when we moved in, and honestly, I don't know anything about chicken wire.

It's hexagon shaped?

Therein lies your problem. Get rid of the hexagon shaped chicken wire and replace it with sturdy hardware cloth. Otherwise, your groundhog won't be the only thing getting into the coop. A coon, fox or coyote can tear through that chicken wire, too. If it's too expensive to replace it all with hardware cloth, 2x4" welded wire will work, too. It's best if you can line the bottom 2' of that with hardware cloth, though. As for the groundhog (known as woodchucks here), your best bet is to get rid of him. (By get rid of, I do not mean trap and relocate) If you don't dispose of it, it will find a mate and they will multiply like the giant rodents they are and will destroy the foundations of your buildings. If you garden, they'll also eat that. Yes, they're kinda cute, but they are destructive.

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

Quote:
The coop was already here when we moved in, and honestly, I don't know anything about chicken wire.

It's hexagon shaped?

Therein lies your problem. Get rid of the hexagon shaped chicken wire and replace it with sturdy hardware cloth. Otherwise, your groundhog won't be the only thing getting into the coop. A coon, fox or coyote can tear through that chicken wire, too. If it's too expensive to replace it all with hardware cloth, 2x4" welded wire will work, too. It's best if you can line the bottom 2' of that with hardware cloth, though. As for the groundhog (known as woodchucks here), your best bet is to get rid of him. (By get rid of, I do not mean trap and relocate) If you don't dispose of it, it will find a mate and they will multiply like the giant rodents they are and will destroy the foundations of your buildings. If you garden, they'll also eat that. Yes, they're kinda cute, but they are destructive.

Oh yes, they have already destroyed my garden. grrr. I think I have a roll of welded wire under the house. Would it work to reinforce the bottom half of the coop in the new wire, or do I need to just redo the whole thing up to the roof? It's a pretty big coop.

 

[Liafast]

You can also set a live trap and catch/relocte it. If you bait the trap with an apple (cut a 1/4 out of the apple, use that peice to trail into the trap) and then hang the rest of the apple using a coat hanger in the back of the trap (place the apple where it looks whole from the door of the trap). Also using some apple juice make a trail going to the apple peices. Above all use the apple but a lot of feed store sell ground hop trap lure. Once you catch him, you can release it about 10 miles away. Good luck.

 

[redhen]

Aww! Hes not hurting anything! Just use better wire and he wont be able to get in! Hes just hungry....

 

[effie]

He's edible--put him on the grille

 

[bryan99705]

Quote:
Yep. or you can cut it up & feed it to your birds! Now that's revenge

Suggest you remove the feed storage and feed from the coop. Store the feed indoors or in a METAL trash can or drum with a top and either hinge & latch it or weight it so they can't knock off the lid. As for the feeder, why not suspend it on a platform, chickens can jump but a woodchuck doesn't (not built for it)

 

[Mattemma]

I have trapped 2 and killed 1 so far. They go into the trap easily during the day.Cantelope in the trap and cover the trap with grass and weeds to make it *tunnel-ish*.You put the trap where they travel.In my case it was along the fence line in front of a hole they had dug to get under the fence.

My one groundhog chewed a hole in my chainlink. I heard they like gardens.They eat my moms up all the time. I am not waiting for that to happen!