This morning, my MIL mentioned while she'd gone out to get her hair done, she'd seen a sign for free coop materials posted at a house a few miles out our road. I've always loved looking at this lady's chickens while driving up the road, sometimes in their run, and sometimes out ranging. Her rooster especially always caught my eye; he's just gorgeous! So I drove down the road w/my MIL to speak to the lady. The sign was gone, as somebody had already stopped by to claim the materials. So of course I asked her whether they'd built a new run for their birds. She told me that ALL of her chickens had been slaughtered by a raccoon a few days ago. Besides the obvious, the horror of it was that she could hear the attack and commotion, but there wasn't a light out there, and barely any moonlight, so she couldn't even do anything about it (she lives alone). Her pen was of chicken wire, covered on top as well. The raccoon had NO trouble tearing into it and killing her 8 hens and rooster. Had they been secured inside of their housing, even with the chicken wire, they most likely would have been fine. So for those who are deciding whether or not to use chicken wire on their pens, or whether or not to close their chickens inside at night, take heed. They weren't even my chickens, and I felt so sad for them; they were beautiful birds with no way to defend themselves in that situation.
