Need advice creating a secure coop - particularly from raccoons

[dehartma]

Connie - we used to have three outside dogs that did a pretty good job, but they moved inside as they got older and two have since passed away.

My dad got two Aussies with the plan of having them be outside, but one had heartworms when we brought her home so they were indoors and they just never left!

I have a pretty intense Cocker spaniel that will go after them, but he's not outside all the time either.

 

[squadleader]

I have an 8 foot by 16 foot chicken tractor that's easy to build, and it's bullet proof on predators.

I've trapped and killed three big raccoons in the last month, within 200 feet of my tractor, so I know the raccoons can't breech the tractor, or they already would have. I'm adjacent to a 400 acre cut over timber tract, so I'm not sure I'll ever really remove the predator risk, but I'm doing what I can.

It's a hoop coop design, which is easy to build, and it it's automatically predator-proof if it's covered in half inch hardware cloth, and has anti-dig mats. My mats are 50 inch wide cattle panel fencing, with half inch hardware cloth zip tied over it.

Of course, you could always build this as a stationary coop as well.

 

[aart]

I'd just be worried about them opening it like they did the egg door (that we had to permanently close off). Maybe there's a way we can fashion it to lock at night?

Did you have a good latch or two on the egg doors?

We thought buried wire would be enough, but it wasn't.

What kind of wire?
Any chance you have pics of the damage?

 

[Ruralhideaway]

Electric wire is really easy to run and could be your cheapest easiest solution.