Raccoons!

[ehoneybee]

Caught 3 of them (1 in the run) last night around 2:30. Thankfully, I heard the chickens since they're just on the other side of the garage and our bedroom window was open. They just stared at me when I shined the flashlight in their eyes :/. I'm including pics of my coops to make sure they're shored up. If the racoons did come back they weren't successful at least. For the grey coop, I plan to screw the nesting box door on the back shut because that latch is silly. Predators will always be able to get into the run so I'm just focusing on the coops. Also, should I get an electric fence? How would that work with my set up?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Is your coop the one in your avatar? Those are a nightmare, and easy for predators to break into unfortunately.

 

[ehoneybee]

Is your coop the one in your avatar? Those are a nightmare, and easy for predators to break into unfortunately.

Yes and then I have a grey one. In the 2 years we've had chickens nothing has ever gotten in, but I know, its just a matter of time :/. I think I'm going to cover the whole thing with an electric fence.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Yes and then I have a grey one. In the 2 years we've had chickens nothing has ever gotten in, but I know, its just a matter of time :/. I think I'm going to cover the whole thing with an electric fence.

It has been a good year for predators. I have had my fair share of it this year too. Surrounding your coop in poultry netting or multiple strands of electric fencing should keep the coons out, unless they figure out a way to drop in. More than likely a good shock will send them running.

 

[getaclue]

I agree with oldhenlikesdogs.

 

[cmom]

I have electric wire around my coops and pens. Nothing messes with the wire. I use the poly rope wire with a 1 joule fence charger. It has made my heart skip a beat when I have accidentally touched it. Coyotes have attempted to dig under the wire but didn't get very far..

 

[ehoneybee]

I have electric wire around my coops and pens. Nothing messes with the wire. I use the poly rope wire with a 1 joule fence charger. It has made my heart skip a beat when I have accidentally touched it. Coyotes have attempted to dig under the wire but didn't get very far..
View attachment 1892909View attachment 1892912

I see this low electric fencing around runs and never understand how something can't jump over or dig under. My goat farmer has just the fence around her hens in a big open space with no cover and she's never had a hawk attack? Meanwhile, I've had hawks squeeze in narrow spaces to get mine.

 

[cmom]

I have heard critters make contact with the wire and it's been up for around 10 years. Once they know it's there they don't try it out again. I have netting completely covering all of my pens. Here most of the predators are diggers, coyotes, fox, bobcats, possums and then the hawks, eagles and owls. I have seen some coons on my game cameras but so far they haven't bothered the birds. Everything I have done was done because of a predator kill in the past.
This was when I first put up the netting. I had planted trees in all of the pens.

This picture was taken a couple of years ago.

 

[cmom]

This is my chick/grow-out coop. It has electric wire around it and netting covering the pen. A coyote and a fox.

 

[ehoneybee]

I have heard critters make contact with the wire and it's been up for around 10 years. Once they know it's there they don't try it out again. I have netting completely covering all of my pens. Here most of the predators are diggers, coyotes, fox, bobcats, possums and then the hawks, eagles and owls. I have seen some coons on my game cameras but so far they haven't bothered the birds. Everything I have done was done because of a predator kill in the past.
This was when I first put up the netting. I had planted trees in all of the pens.View attachment 1893843
This picture was taken a couple of years ago.
View attachment 1893851

Do you have it on top, as well?