Raccoons!

[Folly's place]

Motion detector lights will fail, don't bother with them.
Electric fencing or electric poultry netting, properly set up, works very well against most ground predators, and is a quick fix. Premier1supplies is a great resource, and Howard E on this site has good information too.
Your coop does need upgrading to be safer! Better latches, more ventilation, hardware cloth attached better. Without electric fencing, it's really vulnerable.
Mary

 

[cmom]

I don't have an electric fence but I do have electric wire around my coops and pens. The predators don't mess with it. I have forgotten to turn it off and touched it and it made my heart skip a beat.

 

[cmom]

I tried motion lights and the predators got used to them. I have a yard light that stays on all night and the predators still come and get their pictures taken.

 

[Folly's place]

I do hope that you shot those raccoons! They will return and bring more friends and family, and can wipe your birds out easily.
Most of us learn the hard way, over time and disasters, and improve security. The small prebuilt coops are generally very flimsy, and not the best.
Mary

 

[ehoneybee]

Motion detector lights will fail, don't bother with them.
Electric fencing or electric poultry netting, properly set up, works very well against most ground predators, and is a quick fix. Premier1supplies is a great resource, and Howard E on this site has good information too.
Your coop does need upgrading to be safer! Better latches, more ventilation, hardware cloth attached better. Without electric fencing, it's really vulnerable.
Mary

Ok, I'll get on the electric fencing. What do you mean ventilation? The coops have 2 windows that allow air in and it's not air tight to begin with.

 

[ehoneybee]

I don't have an electric fence but I do have electric wire around my coops and pens. The predators don't mess with it. I have forgotten to turn it off and touched it and it made my heart skip a beat.

But the raccoons come down from the trees so I think I'd need it on top, as well?

 

[ehoneybee]

I do hope that you shot those raccoons! They will return and bring more friends and family, and can wipe your birds out easily.
Most of us learn the hard way, over time and disasters, and improve security. The small prebuilt coops are generally very flimsy, and not the best.
Mary

I do not own a gun ‍
Edited to say, I don't know why the female symbol is coming up. It's supposed to be the shrug person lol.

 

[slordaz]

But the raccoons come down from the trees so I think I'd need it on top, as well?

Racoons are both climbers and diggers, if you block them one way they will find another unless removed from the equation for the protection of your flock

 

[cmom]

Somehow the coons have to get up in the trees. If you know how they are getting up in the trees maybe you can put some electric wire around where they climb up and it they touch the hot wire they won't try again. I covered my pens with heavy duty netting. So far nothing as tried to get in through the top.

 

[slordaz]

I do not own a gun ‍

see if theres any trappers or hunters that would be willing to help you out in your area, a lot of the hunting clubs will do it just for people to get the experience when they are new to it