what kind of animal can open the top hatches on a chik-n-barn?

[fallenweeble]

we have the smaller/younger chickens in a chik-n-barn/yard combo. when setting the whole thing up i put 1/2 inch hardwire on the bottom of the barn and yard and also at the corners and other vulnerable areas. there are no gaps bigger than one inch.
on saturday evening something managed to get a roo out of the coop!

(he was my silkie/buttercup baby, only half grown!!!!). we looked everywhere for him on sunday but could only find some feathers in the yard. he is nowhere to be found.
none of the other chickens are missing from that coop.
the only way, i figure, that he could have been taken out of that enclosure is if something opened one of the top hatches on the chik-n-barn. but what type of predator has this capability? (besides humans . . .)
i did buy a live trap on sunday in hopes that i could catch the villian and i've had it close to the coop for several nights but so far - nothing!

this is like an X files episode!!!!!
any ideas or theories are welcome.

 

[silkiechicken]

I bet it was a coon. They can open doors and peek into every trash can down the street to see what's inside to eat.

 

[Mrs MIA]

I'll second that... they're like little monkeys when it comes to opening things...

So sorry about your baby... :aww

 

[Dawn419]

Humans is my first thought...

Crafty raccons is next, though...

We have our chick-N-barn raised up on a 2' high frame and I still worry about coons getting in, even though we have the spring-clasps holding our lids closed.

Dawn

 

[antiquebuff]

I would guess a coon also.....they will do anything looking for food and have been known to open latches and doors. Sorry you lost your Roo.

 

[TeaLady]

Coons are smart and strong. We're working on our coop now; for the temporary one on the back porch I'm using a gate latch with an unlocked padlock. I'm ready to go to a locked padlock with the key on a string next to it if need be. I don't think they are quite up to using the key.

 

[d.k]

*Racoons might STEAL the key, though. Maybe, tealady. Weeble, sorry about your roo. :[ I hope you find out what happened & can get it stopped.

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

yup a sneaky coon its amazing the things they can do open doors.. windows.. unreal..

 

[LynneP]

I have a hasp and combination lock on the door to our run as well as inside latches. Coons can definitely get past a 1" opening, 1/2" is more reliable. I'm so sorry you lost your roo, he may have taken up a defensive position and got taken first. This predator will return.

 

[horsejody]

The rule of thumb for coons and latches is if a "3-4 year child can undo the latch, so can the coon". They also have the benefit of being excellent climbers, and they are extremely strong.