Raccoon Proofing

[carpboy]

I am thinking of my first coop, how to protect it.

If I use 3/4 plywood on the walls, will the raccoons get through it?

I will be using hardware mesh everywhere, it will be tight and secure, but I haven't read anything about them chewing.

I don't think I'll even have a run, except for maybe when training. The plan is to let them free range and secure them overnight.

The coons here are marauders. I have been at war with them for some time.

Every summer I set up with the .22 in our bedroom window, which looks out on their realm. After taking out a bunch they make themselves more scarce, just a little though.

I once caught 13 in one night in a Havaheart.

So the guinea coop is going to me a major attraction and the front line of the coon war I'm afraid.

 

[sunflour]

They won't chew through plywood and cannot get in through 1/2" secured hardware cloth.

But they are not only around at night - they show up at anytime and will pose a risk during daytime free ranging. We have them in our area and they come around 10 am, noon, 2 pm, 3 pm as well as in the evening or whenever they are hungry. Expect some losses if you elect to free range without supervision.

 

[carpboy]

...10 am, noon, 2 pm, 3 pm as well as in the evening or whenever they are hungry. Expect some losses if you elect to free range without supervision.

Oh wonderful. I am hoping to keep them at bay, but with delicious things running around it may be too tempting.

Hopefully their ranging will be away from the raccoon turf.

They are persistent, I'll give them that. They figured out how to get into my truck bed for bird seed. Then, when that was secured they literally tried to chew their way in.

We have a small shed with sliding doors. They were secured with a wood block but that broke and a heavy rubber band was used.

We went away for a few days and came home to find a dead coon, it's head sticking out the doors. It got in by spreading the doors and squeezing in, but on exit lost its grip and the doors snapped shut!