Coon proof coop ideas?

[artsyrobin]

We are still building the coop and the last few nites have had coons raiding the bird feeders- what are good suggestions for coon proof coops?

 

[Dixiedoodle]

We built my coop on a cement floor and used wood siding that's almost an inch thick, the windows have 1/2" hardware cloth on them and the entire run is enclosed in chain link fencing, it's buried two feet deep and two feet out -to prevent digging in. I also have 1/2" hardware cloth that we ran three foot high, on the inside /bottom of the coop to prevent 'pull-thru'. I have vents on the top of each side that has hardware cloth and an iron grate over it. Everything is nailed and screwed in--we used the huge nail gun and then dh went back and put screws in along any place he even thought it might be needed. We also have solid plywood almost 1" thick under tin for the roof--it is screwed on.


We also have dogs that will kill a racoon if given a chance. My girls will be locked up at night.

 

[cmom]

I have hardware cloth around the bottom of my coop as well as the windows, door and vents. I have chicken wire around the run and yard but I also have an electric fence outside of the fence and run.

 

[Scott]

I would recommend hardware wire as well. I have my entire chicken pen constructed with hardware cloth/wire. I've included a picture below. The wire is buried 6 inches below the ground. I've read in a few places that it should be buried deeper than that. But nothing has ever got into my pen. We have raccoons here. They sometimes raid the garden, I've seen their paw prints on the chicken house, but they've never got in to the pen. I would suggest hardware wire.

 

[1lpoock]

Will a racoon come during the day because I dont see a need to go so far as to bury wire in the run if I am going to close the ducks up at night.

 

[CMV]

Yes, raccoons will come during the day. They are pretty sharp. If they get some idea of your daily routine they will simply come when you are not home.

 

[artsyrobin]

Glad someone is always home then!

before i got chickens i thought coons were cool to see...

 

[valentinebaby]

My coop is raised about 2 feet off the ground and I have 1/2" hardware cloth buried 9" into the ground all around it. The attached run is 6' tall and I've also buried 1/2" cloth 9" and have literally encased the entire thing with hardware cloth, including the top. In the trenches I made on the outside of the run (to bury the cloth), I also put chop block every 4 inches as an extra deterrant (also easier to do than pouring concrete!). I have tons of racoons, some bobcats, panthers, etc. and I wanted to be sure they couldn't get to my girls! Good luck - it's a lot of work, but worth it in the end.

 

[C_Dzchicks]

Any ideas for a chicken tractor?

 

[CityChook]

My coop is on a cement paver pad. The run has hardware wire at the bottom and buried 12 inches deep. All windows are covered in hardware wire and attached with screws/washers (not staples). All doors get locked at night - with keyed locks. I have a mama raccoon living in my backyard tree - we can't get her to move on - and she watches me close the girls up at night. Makes me nervous, but so far, I haven't seen any evidence of her trying to get into the run/coop.