Does anybody else have trouble keeping people from messing with their coops at night?

[Pandemic pandemonia]

I'm in the city with a bunch of neighbors but I have my land fenced in and signs up keep out. Still regularly we find things moved opened or even what looks like coffee spilled on the plastic of the coop. Today I went out and the back door of one of the nesting boxes had been removed and there sat one of my roosters in a nesting box just calm as could be looking at me. I'm getting tired of this. This could have let a predator in or them out. My boys usually want to go back in their pen instead of being out so I guess they stayed inside. They had to have a drill to take out the screws on this door to get into this coop. It is not where my hens are but my Brahma rooster looks like a hen. The hens are in a different coop and they have messed with it and my egg count has been down lately. I put padlocks on it but they maybe unscrewing it with a drill. I guess I'll try cameras again. Anybody else having this problem and what are you doing to keep people out? Any tips? I'm getting a sign ready too another one that is.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

What are your neighbors like?

 

[sourland]

Sorry that you have to deal with this. If not security cameras, I would at least install game cameras to record what is going on. This is why I love living in the country.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Anybody else having this problem and what are you doing to keep people out?

Get a hot wire. 2000 volts will do.
Touch it the first time and you'll never want to touch it again.

ETA: Works to keep both predators and pesky neighbors out

 

[21hens-incharge]

Can you post pics of your set up and the areas they have tampered with?

 

[sourland]

Get a hot wire. 2000 volts will do.
Touch it the first time and you'll never want to touch it again.

ETA: Works to keep both predators and pesky neighbors out

I love the idea, but there may be legal ramifications.

 

[Fishychix]

Have you filed a police report? Definitely get cameras and hide them pretty well. The police sometimes won't do anything unless you have "proof".

 

[Kusanar]

Motion activated lights can deter people as well, they start messing around and then a light turns on and spooks them. Doesn't always work and won't work if they are determined, but maybe the light coming on will alert you that there is someone out there as well.

Maybe even a camera like a Ring brand where it records video and sends you an alert to your phone. So I would pair that with the motion lights, the lights come on so the camera can get a good view and it sends you the video to your phone. At the least if you can get good footage of them you can send it to the police.

Also, make sure your yard is clearly marked No Trespassing. If it isn't then there probably isn't much you can do about them being on your property as stupid as that is.

 

[Friendly_Lurker]

You could try fake cameras. They are cheaper than real ones, and they look very real.

 

[nuthatched]

Get live feed cameras and game cams, the game cams can be hidden well. Motion activated lights.