how long until racoons give up on getting into coop?

[Chelie97]

I left my meat birds outside in a tractor and woke up to them gone, like no trace at all, i honestly cried. i had put in so much effort into raising them.after 2 nights raccoons found my coop and managed to open the pop door took 3 hens out of 10 and i woke up to carcasses and feathers everywhere. i figured they got into the run through the door since part of it was warped and left a small space to get through, it has been 1 year with no issues and all this was just crushing.anyway i'm keeping my laying ladies in the garage for now, i "fort knoxed" the coop, i now have a piece of wood across the pop door just to make sure nothing can get through.all my windows and doors have more than one lock, so if the raccoons happen to slide one they still wont be able to get through. so far i have watched them try, (they are a pack of 4) to enter the run and coop and for 2 nights they havent succeeded,I'm keeping a trap in the run so if any somehow manages to get in it gets trapped.

My question is how long will the raccoons keep trying until they give up.i'm willing to keep my hens for a week or more in the garage but will i ever get rid of them if they find no food? the chickens free range but they are still a bit traumatized and are not roaming as much, i get them locked in the run by dusk and once its dark carry them to the garage. I want to go back to sleeping well and not anxious of what i will find in the morning.

I had raccoons get into my coop a few years back by ripping a board off of the coop so I can understand your frustration with this situation. It took 2 years for the raccoon to finally give up but still to this day every once in a while they will set off my outer coop cameras looking for a way in. I would suggest using a hot wire around the run and coop. I believe that was what finally made them really give up.

 

[Charlotteandfriends]

I left my meat birds outside in a tractor and woke up to them gone, like no trace at all, i honestly cried. i had put in so much effort into raising them.after 2 nights raccoons found my coop and managed to open the pop door took 3 hens out of 10 and i woke up to carcasses and feathers everywhere. i figured they got into the run through the door since part of it was warped and left a small space to get through, it has been 1 year with no issues and all this was just crushing.anyway i'm keeping my laying ladies in the garage for now, i "fort knoxed" the coop, i now have a piece of wood across the pop door just to make sure nothing can get through.all my windows and doors have more than one lock, so if the raccoons happen to slide one they still wont be able to get through. so far i have watched them try, (they are a pack of 4) to enter the run and coop and for 2 nights they havent succeeded,I'm keeping a trap in the run so if any somehow manages to get in it gets trapped.

My question is how long will the raccoons keep trying until they give up.i'm willing to keep my hens for a week or more in the garage but will i ever get rid of them if they find no food? the chickens free range but they are still a bit traumatized and are not roaming as much, i get them locked in the run by dusk and once its dark carry them to the garage. I want to go back to sleeping well and not anxious of what i will find in the morning.

Raccoons are ruthless. If you put your Chickens back outside in the same run, they will just come back for more. You have to get your chicken tractor SUPER secure so that you know for sure NOTHING can get in. We had a bunch of those wire squares in the garage so we zip tied them to the chicken coop all around and it is pretty secure. Those Coons are ruthless though and will get what they want unless you stop them.. So sorry about your loss.. We had a coon attack about a year ago and lost our favorite rooster... It made us get serious about making sure they are safe... So sorry!

 

[moorembe]

We have a large complete dog and I move the poops from the original position to around the perimeter of the fence where the grass has been trampled. I am pretty sure it works to keep stray dogs and foxes away.

Can you borrow a dog for a while ? Perhaps the initial confrontation would be enough to keep them away

although …
Between you and me, four raccoons attacking my girls ? I’d contact my neighbour (update - sorry I thought this emoji was a head with two guns )

Sorry guys I know this is objectionable to many of you and I truly understand your opinions, this however is my opinion. Please don’t shoot me down for it

i trapped and killed 3. its night one and been quiet so far.i have a camera up so will monitor to see if anything pops up.

 

[moorembe]

I think trapping the raccoons is an exercise in futility. You may catch the current thief, but another will move right into the vacated territory. The only solution is to raccoon proof the coop. It isn't easy. Raccoons are very smart, and they will find and exploit any opening. You just have to make sure there aren't any.

yes they are very smart, discovered that the hard way.they also managed to get into my pickup trunk and eat chicken feed i had bought. they are honestly just a menace.

 

[moorembe]

moorembe​

You may consider reinforcing this portion as this may be a weak point, and raccoons can break thru such in desperate times.
Chain-link fence fabric would secure it . I suppose HC would also. View attachment 3883393

the chickens are locked i the coop at night.i have some pavers on the inside so even if they try to dog they cant get through.

 

[moorembe]

If you close the windows to keep the coons out how do you ventilate the coop ? The holes covered with mesh?

yes, the holes at the top.in summer i used to leave the window open coz it has hardware cloth but now i didnt want to risk it.the coons also tried to climb up and get through there.pretty determined.i have 7 hens in a 8*8 coop so they get plenty of airflow not stuffy or smelly at all.

 

[moorembe]

We have a slew of possums as well as coons that swing by regularly but none of them hang around here long.There is a well beaten path in the woods above my house local wildlife uses .Most of them I never see ,there's too many trees.

the coons would come around too, we would get disturbance in the trash and once one of them just walked around the coop and never came bk so this time it was just bad.

 

[moorembe]

I had raccoons get into my coop a few years back by ripping a board off of the coop so I can understand your frustration with this situation. It took 2 years for the raccoon to finally give up but still to this day every once in a while they will set off my outer coop cameras looking for a way in. I would suggest using a hot wire around the run and coop. I believe that was what finally made them really give up.

thank you.will research on adding the hot wire. i havent been sleeping well, the trauma of waking up to feathers and carcasses all over has been giving me sleepless nights.i covered all possible places they can come in and hope it works for now.

 

[moorembe]

Raccoons are ruthless. If you put your Chickens back outside in the same run, they will just come back for more. You have to get your chicken tractor SUPER secure so that you know for sure NOTHING can get in. We had a bunch of those wire squares in the garage so we zip tied them to the chicken coop all around and it is pretty secure. Those Coons are ruthless though and will get what they want unless you stop them.. So sorry about your loss.. We had a coon attack about a year ago and lost our favorite rooster... It made us get serious about making sure they are safe... So sorry!

i'm getting more meat birds but for my own peace of mind, will have them in the garage at night.

 

[Nym]

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I'm sure a handyman/woman could also set something up. A few good zaps and I doubt predators will return in a hurry.