I live in a neighborhood but our house is backed up to the woods with a privacy fence. Have seen many Raccoons over several years, but not since keeping my dad's big dog for the summer last year. Last August, I added 2 hens to our family.... got them all decked out in a wood playhouse, all wired up.... they free range most all the time. So this summer, I have been lazy or not too conscious about locking them up at night..... I locked them up last night for the first time all summer... thought they better get used to it before winter. I always sleep very good, but last night I woke up and decided to get up and piddle around. I was up about an hour and decided to let the dog (itty moppy dog) out to go potty. 430am, Walking through the sunroom I heard "something" making a bunch of climbing noise! I look out at the coop and I thought there was a cat on the roof... then the cat had a buddy! About that time, they got in view of the flood lights and I saw their eyes light up! COONS!! 2 very small youngins! I watched them for about 3 mins.... climbing around. They knocked off a roof decoration and one fell off unto the ground... then reached over and put his hand on the coop door and tried pulling it open at the bottom! I have an eye hook about 2/3 up....... then his arm went inside for more leverage!!! I jumped out the door and screamed at them! They weren't scared.... they walked up the fence and sat there.... I called the hubby and he went out and could of picked them up, if he had shoes on! They walked up a very high tree right above us! They sat there... watching us, like we were the wild animals! They sat there up in that tree for an hour.... I decided to sleep the rest of the night on the couch with the back door open so I could hear if the girls needed me. What a wake up call! So I ventured to Lowe's for another latch for the bottom of the door with a safety on it..... hopefully coon proof! So my question is.... anything I can do to keep them and others out of the yard?!?! These were very small.... I've seen huge ones in the past! I heard someone talking "baby monitors?" that's a new one on me! How do you use them with chickens? Leave it on all the time and turn yours on in the bedroom each night? I don't have electric out there.... I picked up an ugly owl at Lowe's... but I have a feeling they will laugh at that thing. Anything to detour them??? Besides me sleeping in a chair with a BB gun? Thanks, Heather
Good thing you locked them up last night. Your intuition working, I'd say. I would think that they'll give up and go look for food elsewhere if they don't get anything at your house. Make sure those chicks are locked up every night - no pet food, wild bird seed, spilled chicken feed, garbage cans, or compost are sitting out.
It sounds like your coop is not secure, an adult coon will certainly get the door open. And if there are babies there are adults. You will need to build a stronger night shelter to protect your birds. Is it small enough to move the whole thing in the garage at night? I am a fan of electric fencing, but that usually requires an enclosed run with the electric wire around the perimeter at several levels or rather expensive portable electronet. I've got the electronet, but I've got more birds...
Definately lock the hens up tight at night but I also have have electric fence. If you sleep with the back door open so you can hear, you WILL hear when a coon touches that electric wire. Bloodcurdling.....
As long as you remember to lock your chickens up at night, and you have a secure coop with hardware cloth (no chicken wire) and good latches (not slide bolts, hook and eyes, or any other catch that a raccoon can play with for five hours and finally figure out) you will be okay. Electric fencing is always a good idea. There is no way to permanently eliminate raccoons, even if you shoot the ones you currently have. Since we got our lab, Sam, we have had fewer pond raids by raccoons, but by no means have they abandoned the property.
