Found coon tonight

[Monika S]

Since losing one of my chicken to a predator (probably a coon) in the past, I made my coop a fortress, or so I thought. I used hardware cloth and doubled that up with chicken wire on the inside (since I already had chicken wire I left it). I also put cement all the way around, so nothing can dig underneath. I have one of those polycarbonate type roofs. All good for a few years. Now I also inspect regularly and I found a small hole in the roof. Didn't think much of it. We have hail from time to time and I thought maybe that was the reason I had a hole. Tonight the dogs and I scared a coon away from the roof of the coop. I now have two small holes. I evidently need to do something. I will probably just put hardware cloth under the roof as well. However, I can't do that tonight. Do I have to worry about that coon coming back tonight?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

No one can say definitively whether or not the Raccoon will come back tonight.
Too many factors.
I'd plan on him coming back around tonight to test the waters to see if you and the dogs are still around.

I've found that usually once one is coming around actively trying to get in, they don't give up too easily, they will continue to test the security of your set-up.

Hopefully you can make repairs and adjustments in the morning.

 

[Monika S]

Sorry to hear about your troubles.

No one can say definitively whether or not the Raccoon will come back tonight.
Too many factors.
I'd plan on him coming back around tonight to test the waters to see if you and the dogs are still around.

I've found that usually once one is coming around actively trying to get in, they don't give up too easily, they will continue to test the security of your set-up.

Hopefully you can make repairs and adjustments in the morning.

Chickens are still safe. I started putting hardware cloth on the inside of the roof now. Did that yesterday where the holes were and continuing until it's all done. Fort Knox to be continued..lol. I also put Cayote urine around the coop, so hopefully that will deter as well.

 

[schrody]

Get a live animal trap and bait it. Or not bait it and sit the trap along the exterior of your fence. All raccoons I catch I either kill or release down the road on undeveloped 100+ acre fortune 500 company owned land.

 

[Seaslug]

For every experience someone might have of a racoon sighting meaning ultimate peril for your chickens, take my experience to heart. We have racoon on our property regularly. I see them, I see their footprints. For five years now, those sightings have not once led to a racoon assault on our chickens. Some may say it is only time... but quite a number have passed through peacefully with no ill will.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

But OP has a raccoon actively making holes in the roof of her coop, not just passively passing by.

 

[McChooky]

For every experience someone might have of a racoon sighting meaning ultimate peril for your chickens, take my experience to heart. We have racoon on our property regularly. I see them, I see their footprints. For five years now, those sightings have not once led to a racoon assault on our chickens. Some may say it is only time... but quite a number have passed through peacefully with no ill will.

We have 2 hounds we put out back anytime our chickens are out.
Our coons are perfect gentlemen too