Tips on racoon-proofing

[SunnyDayz]

Hi there

We're planning out our coop for 6 chicks soon and need to make sure it is very secure. We have a lot of racoons around here (and a few big cats too).
Does anyone have any tips on making the coop as sucure as can be?
Thank you!!

 

[Monk]

Contact a local reputable Trapper, he or she will keep the Coon population in check for you...

 

[Shifty Joe]

I've heard that you should use hardware cloth (flexable metal mesh) in place of chicken wire, have a cover over any chicken run (coons can climb), and ensure there is no opening into the coop at night. I have a neigbor who told me about a coon coming by pulling off a vent cover...

Though the best protection is dogs. Let them mark around the coop, stay out a few nights and you night time visiters will find a new place to cause trouble.

 

[cowman910]

Kill the racoons. Once they know you have easy food, they won't go away. No matter how "predator proof" your coop is, They will always find a way in.

 

[rittert3]

I have my suspisions as to what did it, but something pealed the chicken wire off the side of my hutch a few years back to get to $240 worth of 5 week old pheasant and cleaned them out in 2 nights. Make sure your wire is fastened securely. I would also recomend Hail screen over chicken wire because any bird that is small enough and allowed will sleep with it's head through the wire.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

When I started to get my chickens, my dh said ONLY if he could build a secure coop and run.. Well, so far so good! It has a 5+" concrete floor, to prevent dig-ins! We used heavy duty chainlink fencing AND hardware cloth over windows, the facings are screwed over the fencing. It has 7/8" wood siding on the outside and inside. The roof has 7/8" plywood and heavy metal roofing. There is a metal exterior door..no pop door.. EVERYTHING is screwed together. The run is completely enclosed w/ chainlink fencing and hardware cloth. The chain link fencing is buried two feet deep and is laid in an "L" two feet out. At every 'seam' there are 2x8's screwed every three inches. On the run gate, I have two locks one at the top and one at the bottom...One is a pad lock and the other is a spring loaded clasp... Hope you can use some of these ideas..

 

[featherbaby]

Dixiedoodle, I don't think Ft.Knox is guarded any better than your coop!!!! Maybe we should store some of our National Security documents in there. You did good!!!!!!!!

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Quote:
My dh has a very 'good' habit of over building/doing everything.. You know--if a 2x4 is good, then a 6x6 is much better.. IF it calls for 1/4" plywood, he will use 1" plywood...We laugh at his logic sometimes but it really does work... My dd had always wanted a 'picket fence' bed....She was moving into her new house and he built her a queen size one..---He used 6x6 posts and 1x6 'pickets' and the post were 5 ft tall...It was so heavy it took four large adult men to get it out of the truck, up the drive and into her bedroom!!! It is beautiful and she loves it but it is BIG!!!!

 

[patandchickens]

Uh, killing or trapping raccoons IS NOT RACCOON-PROOFING.

There are always more raccoons lined up to move in. And chances are pretty good that one of them will test your *actual* raccoon-proofing BEFORE you get a chance to trap or kill it.

Close the popdoor (securely, latched with a coonproof latch) by dusk every night without fail; put 1/2" hardwarecloth over all coop openings (windows, vents, etc) and don't put roosts right next to 'em; build the run out of something STRONG with holes no bigger than 2x4" (preferably smaller) and make sure that the bottom 2-3' of the run fence has something with 1/2" holes, ideally hardwarecloth. Do not use chickenwire for anything predatorproofing-related.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Monk]

Quote:
No one has said killing or trapping raccoons is "RACCOON-PROOFING".

Trapping and Hunting are simply an ethical, sound and effective predator management tools, period!


Here's one behind the coop that never got to any of my chickens and none has since...

Works well on the Red Fox also...