Determined raccoon

[KDbeads]

Well..... for the first time since I built the coop/run I have lost a silkie to a raccoon. Hubby's favorite splash too.
We didn't build Fort Knox and knew this was a possibility. So we aren't that upset.
But it wasn't easy for the little demon to get in though!
He had to dig through packed dirt, that normally takes a good watering just to get a shovel into, so that he could get into my yard to begin with. This is a feat unto itself because my dogs have trouble doing it. Then we found no less than 5 spots where he had tried to get into the main run, again through that same packed dirt and down 6" where the lumber was dug down to, he couldn't get that far through the dirt. Where he got in was right at the front door where we had dug out a pit to help with drainage and shoveled back in about 10" of heavy road base type granite gravel, all the way to the bottom of the door. We top this off as it packs together but apparently he was able to dig right through it, though it didn't look easy.
Once he was done with his massacre it looks like he had trouble getting back out because there were several places where it looked like he tried to dig back through that packed dirt and couldn't get very far.

The complex has been there for a year so it's a bit strange for the demon to wait until we are about ready to move before making an attempt at this.
For today though, it's fix the perimeter to save what's left until I can get packed and move.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Sorry to hear about your loss. Your story makes me want to get out there and finish the predator proofing on my coop. Our soil is so hard you need a pick axe to penetrate it and I've been waiting to get enough rain to make it softer to work. I guess it's time to break out the tools. Good luck with your move.

 

[KDbeads]

Yep, my pick axe is out there waiting for me to get started.

 

[KDbeads]

Lost 3 more silkies last night but the coon didn't come in the bottom of the coop/run.... He knocked out the hardware cloth vents at the back of the coop. Bugger must have climbed the fence and jumped over to the coop.

Since we are in town, I called animal control, I am now equipped with a nice trap and the birds will be in the garage tonight. And they will sleep there until we catch the demon.

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

Oh no, 3 more?! Did you catch the raccoon? Your original story had me out finishing the predator defenses in my own coop. I feel very confident now. I'm sorry about your losses and I hope you get everything secure.

 

[KDbeads]

Turned out it was a huge stripped skunk. Fat bugger too. Nothing else has attempted to come in and we are thinking the big girls knocked out the screening while trying to get away from the skunk. I'm still locking the remaining 3 silkies up at night though, just on the off hand chance that something decides to poke around a bit.