Who is this predator?

[BullFrog36]

So recently something has been trying to get into our families chicken coop late at night. We have come out in the morning to open their coop and have found the door already half open. We have even gone as far to put both a Propane tank and a cement block in front of the door to their coop to stop it from opening, whatever is trying to get them was able to open the door halfway. None of our 9 chickens have been killed yet which leads me to believe that the animal was too large to get in the coop with half the door open. We have placed even heaver object in front of the door and awoke this morning to see that that part of the plastic sheeting on the sides of the coop had been torn down, and some of the insulation between the roof and the wall (about 4 to 5 feet off the ground) had been torn out. I am very perplexed on what could be doing this. We do live out in the country, but have had chickens for years now and never had this problem. None of our neighbors have seen anything funny either. I have checked around the chicken pen for sign of an animal and all I have found is 2 small places where it appeared something had gone under the fence. but the holes under the fence were much smaller then the space left when the door of the chicken coop was opened halfway. Could a small animal being this? It would seem to me that only something large could be to blame. If it was a small animal then who wouldnt it have killed the any. We do not have a rooster, just 9 hens.

Thanks!!!!

 

[theFox]

Well raccoons, bear, and people come to mind.

How has the egg production been?

 

[Baymule]

Rake the dirt smooth in front of the coop to see what footprints you find.

 

[BullFrog36]

We have had a very good amount of eggs the past month. I will rake the dirt tonight and post my findings in the morning.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
The reason I asked that question was if you had a drop in eggs, I'd say you were being visited by a person stealing your eggs.


If the sheathing on your coop isn't fastened properly or it is of a material that can be easily shredded both raccoons and bears will rip open any weak spot in the coop.

That is why you need to keep the number of seams down, use the proper fasteners (all straight nailing and use of smooth nails is out), and frame (preferably from the inside and using screws) any hardware cloth vents.

 

[aprophet]

a 25-35 pound coon is a very strong animal raking the dirt smooth is very good advice then take piccys of the tracks