What could be doing this?

[leec]

Something has been scratching at my coop, trying to get to my chickens. I stained over earlier scratches, thinking whatever it was that did that is gone. Well, they're back. Earlier, during our Michigan winter, at least 50% of the side of the coop that is enclosed was scratched to bare wood. Whatever it was had to climb into the run which is surrounded by a dog pen. This picture is very insignificant compared to earlier damage; chunks of the siding were scratched or chewed off. Any ideas? We set a live trap but only caught two possum so far. [IC.

ODE][/ICODE]

 

[leec]

Mystery solved, it's either a group of black squirrels or a few persistent squirrels that either love the stain on the coop or want to chew their way inside. Saw one hanging on the wall of the coop this morning. I can't believe that they want the food inside the coop because we have cattle and a lot of feed available for them to eat. So much more recent damage to the coop too.

 

[leec]

I will. Thank you for your replies. If we had bears in SW Michigan, I'd be leaning that way because of the major damage to the side of the coop within the fence.

I had to Google trash panda.

In my experience with chicken murdering dogs they dig under things. I haven't seen a trash panda claw at things like this either. Keep us posted if you use the trail cam

 

[sourland]

My gut instinct was raccoon or dog.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Maybe its Boo-boo instead of Yogi lol

 

[sourland]

There were no footprints in the snow?

 

[leec]

Sadly, no

I knew someone who had a Jack Russel Terrier. That dog would dig until he came up with a mole. The lawn looked awful but it was mole free

 

[WIchickMama]

Raccoon?

 

[leec]

There were no footprints in the snow?

We actually had the chickens winter in the downstairs of our barn. By the time the snow started melting and I was ready to move the chickens to the coop, there wasn't any snow around the coop. We live in the middle of woods so we aren't lacking predators.

 

[Albert the Saxony]

We actually had the chickens winter in the downstairs of our barn. By the time the snow started melting and I was ready to move the chickens to the coop, there wasn't any snow around the coop. We live in the middle of woods so we aren't lacking predators.

Why not set a trail-cam, that is if it’s worth it or you can’t figure it out.