For the last few days, I've seen the barrel that I keep the scratch grain in with the lid off, and scratch grain on top of the chick food lid. Something has been getting into it. I put an old cinder block on the lid a couple of days ago. The next day, I found an old grain barrel that hasn't been used in years laying sideways on the ground. A bucket with a tight locking lid, that used to hold chick starter, was also tipped over, with the lid removed. Both of those barrels were empy before they were tipped though.
I think that a skunk or racoon is trying to steal the chicken food. Thst same creature may also ve responsible for the loss of a young chicken a couple of weeks ago, who was attacked and died shortly afterwards. My other 2 chickens typically sleep in the trough, but last night, I found them sleeping on top of the old rabbit cage that I keep on front of the barn door to help deter predators.
It's a bit unusual for them, so I think that they might be scared by whatever is trying to steal the chicken food. If it's a racoon, it could attack my chickens if it can't get to their grain. What can I do to keep whatever it is out of my chicken coop and away from their food.
My chickens are in the indoor part of the barn, bc the outdoor part needs some work. They don't go outside. I put a cinder block on the food lid, and a cinder block in front of the door to keep predators from getting inside. There are some gaps in the roof, but this is a barn roof, so its pretty high up. There is a window with screen over it, but it has a few small holes that need patching.
I think that a skunk or racoon is trying to steal the chicken food. Thst same creature may also ve responsible for the loss of a young chicken a couple of weeks ago, who was attacked and died shortly afterwards. My other 2 chickens typically sleep in the trough, but last night, I found them sleeping on top of the old rabbit cage that I keep on front of the barn door to help deter predators.
It's a bit unusual for them, so I think that they might be scared by whatever is trying to steal the chicken food. If it's a racoon, it could attack my chickens if it can't get to their grain. What can I do to keep whatever it is out of my chicken coop and away from their food.
My chickens are in the indoor part of the barn, bc the outdoor part needs some work. They don't go outside. I put a cinder block on the food lid, and a cinder block in front of the door to keep predators from getting inside. There are some gaps in the roof, but this is a barn roof, so its pretty high up. There is a window with screen over it, but it has a few small holes that need patching.
