but, but...if coons can pull doors off hinges, are locks failsafe?

[greathorse]

I submit if a coon can unscrew one of those carabiners I think it deserves the chickens pricey or other wise. I'm with the hubby on this one, the lock vs. Carabiner thingy is good enough for coons. If you got people predators different deal. If I were hubby I would be asking that common sense prevail.

Sorry

 

[djmb74]

hmm I have a problem with some of my tools missing from time to time. I used to blame it on my kids, but this has got me thinking that it might of been coons!

This guy looks suspicious!!!

 

[deerman]

D'Angelo N Va. :

year before last I trapped several raccoons in my hav a heart trap and not one of them got out of it...I have never heard of one ripping a door off it's hinges, unless the coop is falling apart anyways. If this is the case, I don't know what would keep them out of anywhere they wanted to go.

I caught one in a live trap. he didn't get out ,but did tear the trip plate off and had it bent amost in the shape of a "C".​

 

[babyblue]

also big thing, coons dont travel in packs or groups as adults. but a momma will keep her babies with her till they are pretty much fully grown to show them all the tricks. so you may not have one coon but 5-6 big strong hungry little buggers at a time.

if you want to door to open out just notch and sink the hinges on the inside so it lays flat...a better carpernter then I can explain. and use a padlock, that would keep human preds from bothering you as well.

 

[beckymom3]

Have you ever heard of the Japanese shape shifting raccoons? I think they've immigrated to America....

My kids are afraid of Mountain Lions and coyotes (and occasionally the chupacabra), but the only critter I worry about out there, lurking in the dark, is a big, fat, too-smart raccoon.

There are definitely some scary mutations going on out there in the wild these days! Maybe we should breed for raccoon killing chickens!

In the meantime, have you ever heard of keeping coon dogs to keep the coons away? I hear about Great Pyrs and other protective dogs, but not coonhounds, blue ticks, red bones and curs.... How about a Great Pyr/Coonhound cross?

Must be time for bed! I'm fantasizing about raccoon destruction again....

 

[ranchhand]

What kind of door are we talking about? There are many ways to secure a door, but which method depends upon what kind of door and the frame.

 

[Shelly_WNC]

question - how high off the ground is your coop? I am wondering if the coop is 2 feet off the ground, with no stairs or other ladder type thing , could a coon work it's magic and open a securely latched door?

 

[haTHOR]

this is the door (on the bottom--nest box door)

open:

shut:

it's the area around the door that i am worried about. see how it looks like there is a tiny bit of play there?

killing coons here onsite is not an option...i live w/in the borders of a tourist attraction and i rent. my landlord gave me a trap and asked me to relocate to the river, which is wilderness land and not someone else's property.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Wow, thanks for the info. everyone. I NEVER knew they were that strong. I have caught them before and relocated them. Next time I will use that .22. I tried to set the trap other night after reading this and caught the neighbors cat. Cat was not happy and neither was the neighbor when she came out and called it and called it to eat. Oh well....silly cat. LOL

 

[panner123]

Quote:
Since I believe in a fast death, putting the trap in a 55 gallon barrel filled with water is out. And because of your landlord, I suggest taking the coon to animal control and let them deal with it. You don't have to be the bad guy killing the coon, they will do it for you. but if you do use a barrel of water, just bury the coon in a DEEP hole.