Portable motion light spot the sneaks?

[ConchRepublic]

Been worried about what has been snooping around my coop, so while looking for a stand light, I found an old motion detector light. I'm thinking about attaching this to an old extension cord that's missing both ends (picking up the other end tomorrow) and setting it up on the side of my coop.

Think this could help find out what's been wandering around my coops? So far I know coyotes have not been around, I've scared them enough that they stay on one side of my land away from my coops (36 acres, and they stay in the 26 acres of underbrush). I know we have coons, but haven't seen one in along time. I think there are rats and possums but only have seen rats too.

Haa.. if only I could find a decent and cheap night vision lol, I'd be sitting on the porch at 1am with the rifle.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know how you are set up, although 36 acres sounds tremendous to me. Can you spread some flour maybe, so they leave tracks you could identify? Maybe dig up an area of ground, clay not sand, and smooth it out so you can see tracks? It might help to have it a bit damp. Maybe get a live trap and use a general bait, like peanut butter?

In my opinion, it won't hurt to set up the motion detector light. It might startle them a time or two and if you happen to be up and looking, you might see what is there. I would not trust the motion detector light to stop any predator for long though. Predators are pretty adaptable and they will soon learn that the light does not hurt them. They will soon adjust and slink around in the shadows.

Around here at night, I know what I would see. Armadillos. Armadillos everywhere. Or maybe deer. I can see tracks and sign easily most mornings. You are in a different location so that's probably not it, but don't be too surprised if it is something with absolutely no interest in your chickens or something more interested in the chicken feed than the chickens.

Good luck.