Help I have a predator problem!

[gpamela3499]

Hi,

I never thought I would have a big predator problem but I think I do.
I live in a very urban area my street is two lanes and I get rush hour stop and go traffic.

The raccoons and opossums are annoying my neighbors and I see evidence that they are trying to get into my coop. The thing is old and they will get in eventually.

Are my hens attracting them? They might be coming down for water and trash cans at night. I can not call animal control because my coop is a speakeasy. They would fine me for my chickens.

Any advise on getting for protecting the coop? I can not trap, poison, or shot them. I will just have to do the best at protecting the coop with the least amount of money.

Do I have to get rid of my girls just to give the neighbors some peace?

I live in Contra Costa County California near the Concord/Antioch area.

 

[farmin'chick]

Possums and coons are usually a suburban fact of life, so as long as you are not leaving feed out on the ground, you probably are not "attracting" them to the neighborhood, even though some of your neighbors might disagree.

For protecting my coops, I use 1/4 or 1/2 inch hardware cloth, sold in 15 - 25 foot rolls 2 - 4 feet wide. I use tin snips to cut the pieces I need. I cover all soffits (area where the rafters meet the roof) floor cracks, holes, (some of my buildings are very old and made from rough boards) cracks, etc. with the hardware cloth.

You can also re-side your building inside or out using T-111 siding for outside or Oriented Strand Board (osb - here, $5.50 for a 4 x 8 sheet) on the inside (paint it for water resistance and easy cleaning).

I use the fact that a mouse or rat can squeeze through a 1 inch hole as my rule of thumb for blocking entrances. You might also consider nailing hardware cloth to the floors if you think they might burrow under and gnaw through.

Good luck.

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

Any chance of adopting a big mean dog from the Animal Shelter?

 

[CMV]

Great advice, so far. I also have a motion light trained on my coop to deter nighttime visitations. Several folks here also swear by leaving a radio in the coop tuned to 24 hour talk show stations as a predator deterrent. Predators will stay away from the sound of the human voices.

Good luck.

 

[edb]

The radio will help but a electric fence will most likely be your best bet. I would keep a live(Havahart { http://www.havahart.com/})trap set at all times. A honey bun will catch 99% of all coons. If you accidentally catch a cat....????

 

[gpamela3499]

Thanks for the quick advise. I think the hardware cloth is the way I will go.
I will also try the light.