Feed in galvanized metal can, raccoon-safe?

[bantyshanty]

I've just put a temporary finish on my chicken run so they can use it a bit. It has poultry cloth all over the top It is a chain-link dog run dug down w/ hardware cloth, rocks, etc.
That having been said, the raccoons could still get in & right now my coop is the garage.
I have a 10 gal aluminum feed storage can a la Oscar the Grouch sitting in the middle full of layer crumbles.
It's supposed to be "pest proof". It has a carry handle that goes up & makes the lid hard to move off.
A timid raccoon might go away. But a serious overachiever raccoon might do something with this.
Any ideas on how safe this is? Should I just leave it in the garage? It's a long way from the run to carry food...

 

[wing it]

hing one side and put a hasp and lock on the other

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I've got a 30 gal. one out by the run. Bungee cord and large rock on top. Nothing has gotten in but a bit of water in 3 years.

Add some silcone along the seams and handle rivets and let dry. Your feed will be fine as long as your don't have bears.

 

[Tala]

Raccoons will go to the end of the world to get into cat food that is stored in a metal trash can. Just ask me how I know, lol, my parent's keep the outdoor cat's feed in a metal trashcan -- you have to chain the lid down and put a heavy duty spring on it to keep it taunt-enough so that the raccoons can't slip it off!! (At least that was our best solution, after trying many many things)

However, raccoons just do not seem interested in my Layena or Flock Raiser - me thinks they don't care as much for chicken feed. Maybe coz it doesn't smell as strongly? Anyway, I have one can loosely chained closed and the other one has one of those handle-snaps to hold the lid on, and nothing has ever gotten into them. Rats and grain-filtching rodents can't take the lids off like raccoons can.

 

[bantyshanty]

I guess the raccoons are interested in the higher protein stuff with meat in it, thus the cat food. They wouldn't be interested in grains & it has no fish meal in it, so as long as I keep it meat free, I should be fine...

I had a raccoon break open our screen door on the garage to get at the bowl of dog food years ago.... smells like chicken

 

[Backyard Hencam]

I guess the raccoons are interested in the higher protein stuff with meat in it, thus the cat food. They wouldn't be interested in grains & it has no fish meal in it, so as long as I keep it meat free, I should be fine...

I've found this to be true in our area. Never had a "break in" while using galvanized 30 gallon cans. Good luck!

 

[SallyF]

We keep layer pellets and scratch in two plastic trash cans. One has a twist-on lid and the other is one of those "tuff" cans sold at TCS. Have kept feed this way for going on 4 years and have never had intrusion into either container, and we live in the middle of the woods. I think it's true that raccoons just don't care for the grain feeds.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

So long as the lids are moderately tight fitting I've never had anything get into a metal feed storage can.

I used to use plastic drums for feed storage, but quit with them when the squirrels figured out they could chew their way in if they worked on them long enough.

.....Alan.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Mice will chew through a plastic container too, not just squirrels. I once left a bag of chick starter/grower crumbles out overnight in my pole shed. Something tore it open and ate some of it. I can't swear it was a raccoon, but I trapped a raccoon that was eating my blackberries a few nights later. Of course I haven't left another bag out in the open since. And I do have possums around here.

I had a lot of trouble finding a metal trash can with a relatively tight-fitting lid. Lowe's finally got some in stock. I haven't had any trouble since but I'm sure if a raccoon wanted in, he could get in. If it becomes a problem for me, I'll probably build a simple rack to hold the metal garbage can (metal keeps mice out) and have a hinged lid or probably just a hinged board that could be locked with a hasp and carabiner to hold the lid on. Until it becomes a problem, I won't do that.