Lost 4 ducks- have a raccoon question

[Fuzzbutts]

Sorry to hear of your loss. I just had my first loss yesterday to a bobcat. It jumped clear over my electric net fencing. I also have a low hinged roof on my coop that is quite heavy and I have assumed only maybe a bear could lift it. Now my eyes have been opened and I will be installing some kind of latch/clip on it as soon as I can!

I'm so sorry to hear that! I would never expect a bobcat to try and lift something like that (but then again, I don't know much about bobcats...)
I'm very sorry for your loss and hope that that bobcat never comes back

 

[pamelajean]

It was one of the single most heart-breaking things I have experienced, and I am determined to keep my two new ducks safe and sound.
I was actually wondering if anyone knew if raccoons were active during the day at all... I suppose that answers my question . We also have coyotes near our neighborhood, but I have never seen them venture into the streets, thankfully. Although I feel my 4 dogs wouldn't miss the presence of a coyote in my yard.

I am assuming those are your two new babies in your avatar pic. They are adorable!

 

[Birdinhand]

This whole experience has made me paranoid, so we will be remodeling our duck coop with plenty of latches, locks, and hardware cloth (or even a step above). We had chickens that were outside for almost 2 years with no issues, we never even put them in a coop at night, they just roamed free in their fenced area at all times. Then all of a sudden we developed a predator problem and lost all of them within a week. We then improved our coop security and locked our ducks away at night (who were our pride and joy), and had no issues for a few months and then tragedy struck courtesy of one incredibly determined raccoon . Thank you for the advice! It is very much appreciated

sadly, this is all too often how it happens. unfortunately there is no corelation between time without issue and risk. so many folks say to me, hey, we don't want to be paranoid, and look, we have been doing this for X number of years without a single issue... and I hold my breath. I had my entire flock taken by foxes when I was a kid and I know how hard a lesson this can be. pay it forward, invest in an impervious envelope and you should be predator free indefinitely!

 

[pamelajean]

I'm so sorry to hear that! I would never expect a bobcat to try and lift something like that (but then again, I don't know much about bobcats...)
I'm very sorry for your loss and hope that that bobcat never comes back

Me too. I am hoping it got a good taste of the electric fence and won't come back!

 

[Fuzzbutts]

I am assuming those are your two new babies in your avatar pic. They are adorable!

Yep that's them! Nubbins and Ebby, and they are already incredibly spoiled/loved.

 

[Fuzzbutts]

Me too. I am hoping it got a good taste of the electric fence and won't come back!

I'm actually considering an electric fence around their run myself. Anything that tries to hurt my birds deserves a good zap.

 

[Fuzzbutts]

sadly, this is all too often how it happens. unfortunately there is no corelation between time without issue and risk. so many folks say to me, hey, we don't want to be paranoid, and look, we have been doing this for X number of years without a single issue... and I hold my breath. I had my entire flock taken by foxes when I was a kid and I know how hard a lesson this can be. pay it forward, invest in an impervious envelope and you should be predator free indefinitely!

Yeah, I figured as much... If only I could predict the future, or at the very least predatory behavioral patterns.... Our coop will likely turn into an impenetrable fortress that would even be difficult for a human to get into, knowing my husband and his craftiness.

 

[Birdinhand]

I think of my coop and run in three sections, the inner coop where they roost and the main run, both of which are completely enveloped in hardware cloth, down into the ground, wall to wall, across the ceiling. to me, rats are the worst, if you keep them out, you keep everything else out. the third area is my larger yard, I do let them out on occasion when I can be right there with them but otherwise, they are always heavily protected. we live in an urban area where I was surprised to find has cayotes along with the usual panoply of hungry chicken lovers like raccoons, possum and dogs. if I had a larger property I would be very tempted to get an electric fence and give them a larger run but then we'd have to find a way to deal with the bald eagles and hawks which hang out in the trees over the yard.

basically my chickens and I have a deal, which they seem to like well enough, they make us eggs and in exchange we guarantee them food, water and safe shelter. all in all, it works out pretty well, it'e even possible they get the better end of the deal.

 

[Fuzzbutts]

I think of my coop and run in three sections, the inner coop where they roost and the main run, both of which are completely enveloped in hardware cloth, down into the ground, wall to wall, across the ceiling. to me, rats are the worst, if you keep them out, you keep everything else out. the third area is my larger yard, I do let them out on occasion when I can be right there with them but otherwise, they are always heavily protected. we live in an urban area where I was surprised to find has cayotes along with the usual panoply of hungry chicken lovers like raccoons, possum and dogs. if I had a larger property I would be very tempted to get an electric fence and give them a larger run but then we'd have to find a way to deal with the bald eagles and hawks which hang out in the trees over the yard.

basically my chickens and I have a deal, which they seem to like well enough, they make us eggs and in exchange we guarantee them food, water and safe shelter. all in all, it works out pretty well, it'e even possible they get the better end of the deal.

I really like the advice to aim to keep rats out, and subsequently you'll keep everything out, that's actually quite brilliant! We currently only really have what you would consider a 2-section coop- the inner roosting coop, and the run. Every so often we will let them into the garden to nibble on bugs, weeds, and other such things, but only if we are working in the yard at the same time. Our run is currently only surrounded by metal fencing (don't know the technical term for it), and has no ceiling or cover... I'm not sure if our neighborhood zoning would allow for a tall ceiling on it (its in our front side yard, and it would have to be tall, or somehow removable, as my husband is always out there working on various things in their run.)

 

[Birdinhand]

I really like the advice to aim to keep rats out, and subsequently you'll keep everything out, that's actually quite brilliant! We currently only really have what you would consider a 2-section coop- the inner roosting coop, and the run. Every so often we will let them into the garden to nibble on bugs, weeds, and other such things, but only if we are working in the yard at the same time. Our run is currently only surrounded by metal fencing (don't know the technical term for it), and has no ceiling or cover... I'm not sure if our neighborhood zoning would allow for a tall ceiling on it (its in our front side yard, and it would have to be tall, or somehow removable, as my husband is always out there working on various things in their run.)

one option for a low roof is to put it on hinges and lock it down with two opposing latches, maybe a carabiner too. the extension to our run that I added last year is too low for me to easily get in, so I send the kiddos in when the need arrises. they love feeling important.