Racoons

[Heidi haller]

Hi all. My husband and I have had chickens for just over a year now. Our coop and run have served our ladies (and one rooster) well for a year. Now, within the past week, we have lost five of our ladies due to racoons. We put them in at dusk/shortly before dusk, and tonight I caught three racoons in the run eating yet another lady. I ran in and grabbed the gun and my husband and I killed one and most likely fatally wounded the second (the third ran off when I walked out ther). We found where they are crawling in at and have fixed it but need to add some additional protection in that spot. Done anyone use an electric/hot fence for their chickens? Any suggestions to help us? I have tried letting them in earlier but they won't go in the coop and if I try and enter the run to get them into the coop, the roster tries to attack me.

 

[NightingaleJen]

Very sorry to hear about your birds

I know many here have electrified fences because of predators like the ones you're dealing with. Is the fencing around your coop & run also buried a foot down or stretched out along the ground a foot or two, to prevent digging? I'm only speaking from what I've learned, not having chickens yet, but am sure others will chip in with excellent advice.

 

[Heidi haller]

We didn't bury our fence yet but my husband I will be starting that this evening. We have never had racoons near our property until about a week ago, so we just hadn't put it in yet, which is entirely our fault as to the racoons digging in. My husband checked on the coop at 4:30am when he was leaving for work and there were three more racoons out there (a momma and her two babies) that he had to shoot. They are such a nuisance!

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Many of have learned the very hard way about predators, and I'm so sorry for your losses.
Your survivors are freaked out, as they should be, and need to be in a safe place until this coop and run are fortified. Cages in the garage, whatever you need to do for their protection! Raccoons are more likely at night, but sometimes will show up during the day too.
Pictures of your run and coop will help too.
Electric fencing definitely helps! Premier1supplies.com has good advice and products, and @Howard E and @cmom have good advice and pictures here.
Remember that raccoons carry rabies!!! Handle carcasses with gloves on, bag and dispose of them, and don't get their saliva that's on the dead birds on your hands either!!! If you have, contact your physician and public health office, because it's a big deal.
Live traps work well, just shoot every one you catch, every time.
All the best,
Mary

 

[Howard E]

To the OP, can you provide pictures of your setup? Coop and run?

 

[Heidi haller]

Here are the photos of our coop and run.

 

[Folly's place]

Comments about your coop and run;
I hope you have big windows on the other sides of the coop, because I don't see any light or ventilation in it.
The run is chicken wire? Every critter can get through chicken wire, except the chickens. Hardware cloth plus 2"x 4" woven wire, all well secured, will be much better.
More shade, and a windbreak, very important, depending on your climate. Shrubs and a tree or two outside the run would be nice.
That slanted roof is very nice! Any condensation under the roof in the coop? Some people have had issues with that.
Mary

 

[Howard E]

First.....nice job on the build. Looks like somebody tried on this one.

Having said that, a couple things caught my eye. First......dark green metal roof. I assume no insulation under it? If so, about how hot would you say it is in that coop during the day under the full sun? With some, it becomes not unlike a hot box / sweat box torture chamber.......and they won't go in when it's hot. Can be solved by insulation and ventilation. With some, it's an issue, wither others....it is not. Just mentioned it.

Run is made of chicken wire? If so, several hot wires around it will help repel what chicken wire cannot. Our neighbors built their run with chain link fence......then added chicken wire to keep small birds out. It has been lifted and ripped up in several places along the bottom, but chain link has stopped would be break in's cold.

At the base, you may want to install an apron of sturdy wire like 1" x 2" welded wire......say 4' high wire, then put in a 90 degree bend, so what you are left with is one 2' tall leg standing straight up.......the 2nd 2' leg laying flat on the ground. That will stop all traffic at ground level.

Then around the top, install one or two hot wires on stand off insulators (about 4" to 6")....such that nothing can get up the side and over the top without contacting the hot wires on the way up or over. The chicken wire fence would then be connected to and become part of your earth ground field. That puts varmint in direct contact with hot wire and earth ground and they get zapped. A properly zapped varmint will drop to the ground and think long and hard before trying to climb it again......but if he does, he keeps getting zapped and will quickly give up.

Hot fence remains for the duration. That coon may perish....but will be replaced by some other kindred spirit who will also have to learn what a hot fence is.

 

[Howard E]

PS: Mary beat me to it.......but sentiment was the same.

 

[Folly's place]

But you added more detail and things I left out.
Mary