Automatic door? maybe didnt work? *WARNING GRAPHIC PHOTOS*

[aart]

Oh wow!
So it lifted the door in the night and got in...then escaped same way or when autodoor opened in morning???

Some autodoors are on a gear that prevents this...most are not.
Definitely cover any gap they can get their fingers into....saw video of a coon lifting a garage door.

 

[PingoBags]

But is this normal? Is there something I can do to the door? Has anyone ever had a door fail like this?

I was thinking about putting a inch wood plank across the bottom and make it flush with metal so he could not get paws/nose under metal to push up?

That might work. Even better, get a piece of that 1" square aluminum tubing from home depot and use that.
That way you won't need to worry about the weather swelling it and you can put it really close to the door, the tighter the better.

Is the door gravity fed? If it is, you might want to think of a better design.
I've seen some youtube videos of self locking doors. Looks simple to do.

I've also seen that video aart mentioned. I couldn't believe that coon was strong enough to open a garage door, crazy.

 

[MCBirdman]

Best guess is he lifted metal door, got in, could not get out until it opened in the am, was stuck in there al night and just went to town. Because last night, with the camera, he lifted, but would not go in even though I left the dead chickens in there to entice him.
It is just a pic, no video.
I need to look into automatic locks I guess.
I just think the whole thing is crazy. Does not seem like this is a common thing though.

 

[rottlady]

Probably he did not want to get trapped again

Unless you can make it tiny hand proof switch to a manual door that you personally close and lock like the fresh eggs daily lady has on her coop

 

[Millworker26]

Best guess is he lifted metal door, got in, could not get out until it opened in the am, was stuck in there al night and just went to town. Because last night, with the camera, he lifted, but would not go in even though I left the dead chickens in there to entice him.
It is just a pic, no video.
I need to look into automatic locks I guess.
I just think the whole thing is crazy. Does not seem like this is a common thing though.

As others said, raccoons are amazingly talented at getting into things and evading capture. Great ideas mentioned about different door options or modifications, but I would also set a Dukes dog proof raccoon trap to get rid of the bugger(s).

 

[owlflights]

Wow, that image tugs at my heart. It has been a quite a while since I walked into a massacre, and that was only seven. I'm sorry for your loss

Don't really have any advice as I've never really dealt with predators but I hope you secure your coop and maybe catch the little bugger?

 

[carlf]

Wow, that is horrible.
I am guess it forced open the auto door on the coop?
Do you know how it got into the run?

Raccoons of that size are incredibly strong. Very smart too unfortunately.

 

[jennyf]

I am so sorry for your loss, that is horrible. This is haunting me--I have the exact same Brinsea door. What did the bottom of the door look like when closed? Was there a gap at all or could a badly placed glob of poop or something have given it just enough room to pry up? I have a threshold "footer" on the bottom of mine so theoretically harder for something to work under it but now I'm rethinking that. So sorry about your chickens...

 

[centrarchid]

I would look into creating another layer around coop that will stop the ground dweller even if door fails to close. I have been in your boat, more than once, so can relate to the frustration.

 

[MCBirdman]

we are basically partly free range. have horse fence with chicken wire, but chickens fly over easily, coons can get over or under easily. invested in coop protection with autodoor over fortifying run. it is actually a pretty big area. may end up having to do that at some point though.
to answer questions. I do think there was some poop and wood shavings keeping the door from being flush with base. I have put a wood plank over base so theoretically they cant get paws under it. but we will see.
good new is caught a coon in the live trap. no way to tell if it was they same one or not though.
thanks for the help