First quail predator showed up!

[Quailwhatdoyaknow]

Early this morning I caught a raccoon on my home security cameras headed towards my quail hutch. Thankfully it’s locked down tight with 1/2” hardware cloth over all the wire and has solid wood on top bottom and all the three sides. I also have spring loaded clips on all latches because I know how crafty those little varmints can be. What’s crazy is I’ve lived here for 8 years and have never seen a raccoon. But two weeks in after putting my birds outside I see one! And in my experience where there is one there is more. I know I have feral cats and opossums but now I have to contend with a raccoon.

Should I put hardware cloth over the outside of the wood to prevent anything from chewing through?

 

[nuthatched]

How thick is the wood?

 

[Zenmonkey]

As @nuthatched suggests the type and strength of the wood matters. Sufficiently heavy wood should stave off cats and coons.

I have questions though, regarding the wanted predators?

 

[pac]

I put some bird feeders outside a couple years ago. First time doing such a thing. Within a couple months the coons had found them.
After a couple weeks I decided not to fill them again. And eventually took them down. It just didn't seem right shooting something for eating food I had put out.

If you think something needs beefed up or other measures taken, it probably does. Sooner rather than later. Because all it will take is one meal and they'll keep trying until they get another meal.

 

[Quailwhatdoyaknow]

How thick is the wood?

Not very thick. It’s a standard rabbit hutch from tractor supply

 

[Quailwhatdoyaknow]

As @nuthatched suggests the type and strength of the wood matters. Sufficiently heavy wood should stave off cats and coons.

I have questions though, regarding the wanted predators?

I see your point. Changed the title of the post.

I’m thinking I need to add wire to the sides and the back. That should help keep things from breaking in through the wood.

 

[Quailwhatdoyaknow]

I put some bird feeders outside a couple years ago. First time doing such a thing. Within a couple months the coons had found them.
After a couple weeks I decided not to fill them again. And eventually took them down. It just didn't seem right shooting something for eating food I had put out.

If you think something needs beefed up or other measures taken, it probably does. Sooner rather than later. Because all it will take is one meal and they'll keep trying until they get another meal.

I agree with you. Coons especially are crafty and have thumbs and sharp teeth. I once had a deer feeder that they got through the plastic barrel and would get inside it to eat the corn.

 

[Zenmonkey]

Yeah, I'd look to beef that up. Just be aware that 1/4" hardware cloth slows a determined racoon more than stops it. A surprising number of predators, given sufficient hunger and time, are not much inhibited by a layer of 1/4" hardware cloth. Step up to the half inch welded wire or better for better protection.

All the best wishes!

 

[pac]

Something that might be easier to install and work with, and can be found at the local Ace (if your location has Ace hardware), is a drywall corner.
Anything that is going to chew its way in is going to start at the outside corners and edges. Start by reinforcing those.