Who is digging a hole next to my coop?

[Bedste]

I just noticed a hole being dug with claw marks right by the coop door.

I have chicken wire 4 inches deep all around the coop but not at the door.

At first I thought it was my German Shepherd..... but if he wanted a chicken he would have had one by now. He is a great dog and aims to please and he has never been a digger anyway. He is 7 years old and we have had chickens for 6 months and he has had lots of easy opportunities that he has passed on.

What else could it be? Who would dig only at night and at the only place there is no wire? It looks like he almost made it through. I will be locking and double checking girls from now on....

 

[Teach97]

armadillo...that is my bet

 

[juliawitt]

We actually had an armadillo that in one night dug a hole so big it sunk the tire of our boat clean up to the wheel house. My husband put up the trail cam (great thing to have if you ever want to know what is going on) and sure enough, the next day we had many pics of an armadillo tail sticking out of the hole with dirt flying! Very destructive varmints but I do not believe they will eat or harm your chickens.

 

[Bedste]

Why would they choose to dig in the only spot that does not have wire over the ground? It is as if whoever dug.... searched all around the coop and found the only spot with easy access and dug

 

[wombat]

Put flour down and check for tracks.

 

[Bedste]

wow..... great idea.... getting my winter jacket on and going out NOW with the flour... it is so so cold...... in Cut n Shoot today.... maybe 62 degrees and so wet and muddy.. waaaaa

 

[Big C]

Armadillos are random diggers from their snout, not claws. Likely its a coon.

 

[wombat]

Coon is the most likely, sometimes skunks are diggers, but they're usually more opportunistic and less inclined to put in that much work. Sometimes opposums will dig too.

 

[zatsdeb]

skunk?

 

[Bedste]

Is a racoon or a possum smart enough to dig in soft mud dirt in the only unprotected spot?