What has pooped on our coop?!?

[littlebigchicks]

Yesterday we noticed some strange scat on top of our coop and wasn't sure what it was. This morning I went to let the chicks out and there is another, fresh, much larger pile next to the one we saw yesterday. After a quick Google search, I found BYC and am hoping that someone can identify what it is and what we can do to keep whatever it is away. There are similar droppings on top of our Big's coop (pictured) as well as our Little's, although smaller on the Little's coop. I feel both coops are fairly secure so I'm only slightly worried about something getting in for now, and we lock all chicks up at night. I'm in Charleston, SC if that makes a difference for identifying the scat.

 

[MarkJr]

Looks like raccoon to me. But, I’m not an expert, and that pile is very colorful.

 

[Compost King]

is that corn? Not that I would know what it was if I found out its corn, just figured the person taking the picture could confirm for sure its corn and a scat expert might have a better idea because of it. Also if there is fur in that scat let forum know, sometimes pictures do not show certain details. I am following this because I am interested in what it might be too.

 

[littlebigchicks]

We have a palm tree on the property that has orange berries(?) on it, we're thinking that's what those are. At least, that's what it looks like. They're too large to be corn

 

[Matejka]

Yesterday we noticed some strange scat on top of our coop and wasn't sure what it was. This morning I went to let the chicks out and there is another, fresh, much larger pile next to the one we saw yesterday. After a quick Google search, I found BYC and am hoping that someone can identify what it is and what we can do to keep whatever it is away. There are similar droppings on top of our Big's coop (pictured) as well as our Little's, although smaller on the Little's coop. I feel both coops are fairly secure so I'm only slightly worried about something getting in for now, and we lock all chicks up at night. I'm in Charleston, SC if that makes a difference for identifying the scat.

Hhmmmm. On TOP of coop-we been chasing a coon for a week now-we caught her last nite

 

[littlebigchicks]

We were thinking Raccoon, but just wasn't sure. Any tips on making sure they cannot get in? I built the coop with hardware cloth all around and laid about a foot and a half on the ground to try and deter burrowing into the coop. What about the latches? We have regular barrel bolts to lock them into the coop at night and to close the pen up, but I hear raccoons can open those fairly easily (smart trash pandas).

 

[Matejka]

We were thinking Raccoon, but just wasn't sure. Any tips on making sure they cannot get in? I built the coop with hardware cloth all around and laid about a foot and a half on the ground to try and deter burrowing into the coop. What about the latches? We have regular barrel bolts to lock them into the coop at night and to close the pen up, but I hear raccoons can open those fairly easily (smart trash pandas).

The only thing I know a raccoon cannot open is keyed lock. And don't make it handy and leave key in lock.

 

[Rldad1]

Probably raccoon. Barrel locks are useless. Use either a key lock as suggested by Matejka or carabiners

 

[littlebigchicks]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll look into changing out the barrel bolts getting into the pen today