Chewing through wood? What am I up against?

[andythescot]

Hi all, on my run it seems to be that some mammal is chewing through to get to the chickens. Take a look at the pictures here. I just want to figure out what I'm up against so I can figure out how to take action and protect the flock. There's a pretty solid amount of vegetation around that side of the run, could that be at all a problem?

Thanks!

 

[FireTigeris]

Rats? (See fruit rat, brown rat, roof rat) -they would only need 1/2'' hole- or smaller

Foxes and coons will chew also... I don't think possums chew wood... these guys would want a 2''-3'' round hole

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Clear the growth around it rake out the ground and spread flour (or flour+ borax) and check for tracks?


good luck.

 

[Fishbone]

A rat could have chewed it's way into that particle board in less than a couple of minutes...a raccoon would need a little more time to make it larger.

It might just be rot.

You need some 'improvement' or you're in for some disappointment!!

Particle board is not weather proof...nor predator proof.

 

[andythescot]

Thank you! The particle board was meant to be temporary... but alas... I simply figured it would do. Guess I was wrong on that one!

Do you think a woodchuck would be doing this? I know they aren't necessarily a direct threat to poultry, but would they chew through wood to get to feed or something? There've been quite a few of them around lately.

 

[Fishbone]

They might be after the grain.
I also wonder if your chickens are pecking from the inside!!

Did you move that vegetation?
Or was it like that?

 

[andythescot]

The vegetation was like that, all curling and flattened..
What I'm also wondering is why any of those creatures wouldn't have dug under the board?

 

[Fishbone]

Thank you! The particle board was meant to be temporary... but alas... I simply figured it would do. Guess I was wrong on that one!

Do you think a woodchuck would be doing this? I know they aren't necessarily a direct threat to poultry, but would they chew through wood to get to feed or something? There've been quite a few of them around lately.

Temporary is like 'for now' or 'good enough' LOL
For me, "For now" means I'll forget about it! "Good enough" means it "ain't"

When you tighten that up lay some gravel around the edge...it keeps diggers from digging.
Or just continue the hardware down, overlap the ground then cover it with gravel.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Do you think a woodchuck would be doing this?

I dont know whether a woodchuck chewed thru your particle board or not, but Yes woodchucks/groundhogs will definitely chew thru wood. Shed floors, chicken coops, wood shed - nothing is safe from a woodchuck.

 

[Chinook203]

I guess I need to take pics of the damage these last 2 raccoons did to our pens. We know it was the raccoons as our game cameras have them doing it. I will try to remember to get pics before we tear all the pens down. Anyways, the raccoons chewed through landscaping timbers on one pen before they started the digging.
Sandy

 

[off-grid hen]

I don't know if a porcupine would be after chickens, but they are nocturnal and love to chew wood.