Steel wool = coon deterrent?

[Big Red Roosters]

Went down to my chicken coop today and discovered a raccoon had attempted to dig in the sand to get to my roosters. From what I can see, the sucker took one chomp out of my steel wool I had underneath the sand(which I was using to keep mice out of a small hole...) and left empty handed. No further digging and he never got through to my coop. Maybe I should invest in more steel wool... I know that crap is sharp, sliced my own hand open just trying to stuff it in. I may put up a camera to see if he tries it again, or if once was enough to keep him away. I may attempt to stuff it all around the bottom of my coop. Anyone else with a similar experience?

 

[Folly's place]

Let us all know how it works. I have no faith in anything except hardware cloth, electric fencing, woven wire, and live traps and my 22g for raccoons.
Mary

 

[Big Red Roosters]

Let us all know how it works. I have no faith in anything except hardware cloth, electric fencing, woven wire, and live traps and my 22g for raccoons.
Mary

I had just taken out three raccoons in the same area as this coop. Apparently it's a popular spot. I use hardware cloth on the door and windows. I've been wanting a live trap for a while, but I own farm cats. I'd hate to trap a little one and leave it out in the freezing weather overnight unknowingly. It's usually late night hunting parties or my dogs get them.
If this steel wool holds up, that would be great.

 

[Folly's place]

If you bait your trap with marshmallows or fruit, your cats won't care. I don't activate my live traps in rainy weather either, so nobody is out there overnight soaking wet.
Mary

 

[MissChick@dee]

Get your camera ready. Go and get a bus load of steel wool....we’d love to see what happens.

 

[Butterscotchbitesfinger]

Get your camera ready. Go and get a bus load of steel wool....we’d love to see what happens.

Agreed
Lol
Can’t wait
Get the little sucker

 

[RWise]

One issue I see with steel wool is rust, it is not going to last long.
If you have a machine shop near by, you might ask if they have shavings from stainless steel you could get,,, it will be heavier than the wool but wont rust out. It will also be sharp, handle with care!

 

[aart]

One issue I see with steel wool is rust, it is not going to last long.

My thought too...as well as the possibility of the chickens eating broken off pieces.

Went down to my chicken coop today and discovered a raccoon had attempted to dig in the sand to get to my roosters.

Do you have a pic of where this is installed?
Am assuming it's at the bottom of a coop or run wall?
Have you thought of anti-dig aprons?
Good examples of anti-dig apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC (unless you have small rodents like rats)...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[123RedBeard]

I'm not sure where in the world you live ... but in the USA steel wool I've used never cut my bare hands ... it's used like sand paper ... they even make brass wool ...

This is the common steel wool ... https://www.acehardware.com/departm...ainting-tools-and-supplies/steel-wool/1361054

 

[Compost King]

I remember using Steel Wool to clean showers in the Navy... it was the only cleaning supply that worked. The other Abrasive pads would get clogged up fast and we didn't have enough storage space for something that didn't last long. Never cut my hands up on it though. But I can see it cutting up fingers of anything who tried to dig through it. I never thought of burying that around a coop to keep out predators. I am currently having rat and Possum issues. They are digging in and eating feed. I relocate them... But a Raccoon has to be executed due to a high likelihood of rabies. I won't move an animal that is likely to spread rabies. Kinda sad because they are beautiful animals. After they kill a chicken its gets easier to execute them.