Assess my coop design for predator threats

[MamaHenSD]

I'm having the "Bluegrass Coop" design built this week and keeping a max of 4-5 hens. We live on a canyon in San Diego and have a nightlife cam that shows a regular occurrence of coyotes and the occasional bobcat and skunk in our backyard. This has kept me from getting chickens for a long time, but they are coming to my yard anyway.

Hardware cloth will be used on top, the sides and the bottom. Doors will be double locked (one combination lock and one latch each). The chickens will go inside their coop every evening.

Has anyone heard of a raccoon pulling out staples from a staple gun that would be holding the HW cloth in place? We have a fig tree that will be next to the coop. The limbs are flimsy so I'm not sure if the branches can even support a raccoon's weight.

Thoughts? Am I missing anything? Would you recommend electric fencing?

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[Chookydeb]

that gap between the wall and the roof will have to be filled and i dont know about racoons but foxes will tear staples out, i stapled the HC on then nailed a strip of thin wood over the top for security

i have more of a fox problem here, coyotes would be similar i guess - i laid heavy duty mesh on the ground and folded it up around the base frame and stapled it, that way they cant dig in, it also keeps out rats which are a real problem here

 

[kagross]

If everything, including the roof and floor, is encased in HW cloth with no gaps, you should be fine. Use a heavy stapler, like the copper ones on wooden boxes, not the $5 one from Home Depot.
It might stress the chickens if predators are testing the coop all the time. If the roost/nest area is secure at night, I wouldn't think too much of a problem.