Racoons - how smart are they?

[The Lazy L]

I'll have a guillotine chick door (slides up and down, 5 pound weight at the most). What prevents a coon from working a claw under the door and lifting it up?

I'm thinking a piece of angle iron fasten to the floor, outside of the door would prevent this. Or am I over thinking this?

 

[CMV]

I have the same type of door. I framed the exterior of the door with 2" trim. I also put the door (which is plexiglass) on a stiff track to prevent it from jiggling back and forth too much. Raccoons can't get a decent grip on it anywhere because the plexiglass is so slick. I have to keep the track well cleaned or else it won't fall down completely, and then something could theoretically get a hand in between the trim and the door, and lift the door. But I also made the door twice as long as need be for the added weight, so I doubt a raccoon could actually get enough leverage to lift it anyhow.

 

[WaterAye]

I have the same door on two coops. One w the angle iron and one without. I have only had one coon get in and that was my fault for not closing the door. If you have a trap baited w/ Marsh mellows they will go in there long b4 they get in the coop. Since October I've trapped 10 coons and 1 possum. Don't sweat the angle iron.

 

[Me & Jack]

I had a skunk get into my coop through the sliding door -- not sure how he managed to do it, but I do know we were both a little surprised to see each other when I opened up the coop that one morning! Fortunately my chickens stayed up on the roosts and Sir Stinks-a-lot didn't get any of them!

 

[cafarmgirl]

Quote:
Coons are smart and they are strong little buggers, your not over thinking it. A little extra prevention will give you more peace of mind and keep your chickens safer, it's well worth it.

 

[Yessur Ebob]

Raccoons are very clever, and stronger than you may think. The angle iron would probably be a very good idea.

 

[Hunter0704]

I'm thinking a piece of angle iron fasten to the floor, outside of the door would prevent this

What is angle iron and how do you fasten it to the floor, outside of the door? I would appreciate hearing about this. I also have a guillotine door made from heavy wood and I have wondered how I can secure it, just in case, I have a handle on it at the top so I can pull it up out of the wood tunnel box I had built so my ducks/chicks can go from the run into a kennel.

Thanks.

 

[Yessur Ebob]

Quote:
Angle iron is a piece of steel bent into a 90 degree angle. If fastened to the floor so that a part of it covered the bottom outside of the door, it would prevent a raccoon from sticking it's fingers under the bottom of the door, so that it can't lift it.

 

[Yetti]

I just redid the locks on my duck coop. I didn't trust the single latch system I had. it now has a back up about 16" higher. it would take a pretty smart critter to figure out two latches to get one door open.
on my slider door I used a interior bolt. when the door shuts I have a bolt that pins it so it can't go in or out or up and down. plus the bottom of the door keys into the floor so it can't be forced. since I put in the new floor I have already found teeth marks on the lower door seem. something pulled at it with its teeth. I figure a fox at this point.

 

[Hunter0704]

I should have made myself more clear...I'm sorry. I have a raised coop 4x6 with a run under it and extended to 12x6. I had a wood tunnel box built to connect the run to the kennel, so my ducks/chicks have more space to run around in other than the 12x6 run. The guillotine door goes up and down against the outside of the raised coop and has a handle at the top to pull it up and out of the tunnel, so the ducks/chicks can leave or enter the run. I need something I can screw into the top of the tunnel box and also something to connect from it to the handle so the door cannot be lifted by a raccoon. Am I making any sense here? Any ideas on parts I can get at Lowes????

I really appreciate any ideas you all can give me. Thanks!!!