We just lost two chickens to a racoon who has now gone the way of the wild goose........
The cochin corner was accessed because I put a tarp on it....we have wire also but the squares are big and it causes an arguement everytime I talk about covering it with smaller wire!! But according to my DH (that can be read two ways) the racoon got in because of the tarp! It had a place to get up on and slide down into the run......
Then the same racoon came back the next night and dug into the BR coop.....honestly I thought that would be impossible. We have so many rocks up here that you can't dig a hole to plant a tree. BUT that spot, where the door was....the one spot that is not dug into the ground, is where he went in. He pulled Ethel off the roost and tried to drag her out.....he went first because I think the rooster was after him and her body would not go through the hole. I heard noise and went out and must have scared him off so all he got was her head.
He came back the next night and we had a nice piece of chicken breast in a live trap for him and we caught him. Like I said, he has gone the way of the wild goose.
Double check your coops and runs.....my DH is leaving town to work Sunday. My DGD and I have plans for the run that will keep this from happening. I have had a lecture from my DH on not using small wire beause it just is not necessary.......so snow fencing will cover the entire run. It will be wired on very close together. It is the best I can do and not really upset DH.....but I AM going to do something.
We have the breech in the door to the coop fixed so that will not be an issue again......but I can't stand the thought of something getting my chickens when there is something I can do to prevent it!!!
Take care and double check your coops and runs.....
The cochin corner was accessed because I put a tarp on it....we have wire also but the squares are big and it causes an arguement everytime I talk about covering it with smaller wire!! But according to my DH (that can be read two ways) the racoon got in because of the tarp! It had a place to get up on and slide down into the run......
Then the same racoon came back the next night and dug into the BR coop.....honestly I thought that would be impossible. We have so many rocks up here that you can't dig a hole to plant a tree. BUT that spot, where the door was....the one spot that is not dug into the ground, is where he went in. He pulled Ethel off the roost and tried to drag her out.....he went first because I think the rooster was after him and her body would not go through the hole. I heard noise and went out and must have scared him off so all he got was her head.
He came back the next night and we had a nice piece of chicken breast in a live trap for him and we caught him. Like I said, he has gone the way of the wild goose.
Double check your coops and runs.....my DH is leaving town to work Sunday. My DGD and I have plans for the run that will keep this from happening. I have had a lecture from my DH on not using small wire beause it just is not necessary.......so snow fencing will cover the entire run. It will be wired on very close together. It is the best I can do and not really upset DH.....but I AM going to do something.
We have the breech in the door to the coop fixed so that will not be an issue again......but I can't stand the thought of something getting my chickens when there is something I can do to prevent it!!!
Take care and double check your coops and runs.....
