Safe?

[EmmaRainboe]

So I am paranoid about predators. We have never had an attack but I only got my first chickens in April. My birds are closed in their coop at night, but our run is only covered with chicken wire (the wire is buried) I'm afraid a raccoon will get through the wire and open the chicken door and go into the coop cause they are so smart. My mother is convinced that raccoons can't get through the chicken wire, and even though they are smart, can't pull open the chicken door. Am I over estimating how smart a raccoon is? I know they can open doors, but they can pull up a string on a chicken door and crawl through? I was pretty sure they can. Am I over paranoid? Or am a right to be? I really want to replace the chicken wire with hardware cloth, but my mom doesn't think it's necessary, (I share the chickens with my mother)

 

[human1]

can pull up a string on a chicken door and crawl through?

I've heard of a racoon pulling a string on the door before. Is there a way you could put a lock with a key on the coop door?
Not to scare you or anything, but I've also read that hawks can break chicken wire

 

[ackie]

Chicken wire is definitely not predator-proof. A coyote could rip right through it. You need to reinforce it with something stronger.

 

[ackie]

Though if the coop is secure and they're in the coop at night, maybe not an issue if the run is chicken wire.

 

[human1]

Chicken wire is definitely not predator-proof. A coyote could rip right through it. You need to reinforce it with something stronger.

oh yeah... i forgot about those lol. i dont really have coyotes or big animals here

 

[EmmaRainboe]

I've heard of a racoon pulling a string on the door before. Is there a way you could put a lock with a key on the coop door?
Not to scare you or anything, but I've also read that hawks can break chicken wire

We lock the human door, unfortunately no way to lock the chicken door, I might be slightly less paranoid if I could. I’ve also heard the same about owls breaking chicken wire.

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Though if the coop is secure and they're in the coop at night, maybe not an issue if the run is chicken wire.

Our coop is secure with everything except the chicken door, it’s automatic so there is a string you can pull up to open the door, but hearing how smart raccoons are makes me worry they could definitely open it, and with the run being only chicken wire I think they could get to the door.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Generally, you just need hardware cloth for the bottom two feet to prevent smaller pests and predators (such as snakes) from getting in. The security of the run is mainly just to ensure nothing can get in while the chickens are out--raccoons generally aren't going to do that. For your coop, you should make sure that all windows/vents are covered with hardware cloth, and definitely make sure that all entrances are hard to open by little raccoon hands. There are gate latches (the hook kind) that have a sliding locking mechanism that work well. They're pretty difficult for humans to open at times, much less a raccoon.

 

[human1]

We lock the human door, unfortunately no way to lock the chicken door, I might be slightly less paranoid if I could. I’ve also heard the same about owls breaking chicken wire.

ah... I'm a human

we keep the small coop inside the shed, so we just lock the shed. i dont know if that would work for you though

 

[tripletfeb]

You need to make the run more secure. If a three year old can open it, a raccoon can. It only takes one time to wipe out a flock. Don't mean to be debby downer but if you change to hardware cloth everywhere now then you will have less losses later. Chicken wire is about as secure as tin foil