Will my chickens be at risk of being attacked by a raccoon if I move their feed inside their coop with them?

[citychicks99]

I have a metal feeder that's supposed to be predator proof. It has a step for the chickens to step on to get to the food. It works great, except that it's been raining a lot and when the chickens use it, water gets in the food, which could cause it to spoil. I've thought about moving the feeder in the coop with them but I'm afraid this might cause raccoons to break in to get to it. Their coop is just a giant shed in my yard now and I've seen raccoon tracks in the snow in my yard so I know racoons do roam my yard at night.

 

[nuthatched]

As long as your coop is secure, there will be no issue. Raccoons are a lot more interested in your birds anyway.

 

[citychicks99]

As long as your coop is secure, there will be no issue. Raccoons are a lot more interested in your birds anyway.

I think it's pretty secure. It's only a latch but it's at my height.

 

[nuthatched]

I think it's pretty secure. It's only a latch but it's at my height.

Sounds good.
Just a bit of info, I don't know how your coop is:
Chicken wire isn't predator proof, use Hardware cloth and sandwich that between posts.
A coon can get through anything you can get a baseball through.
If a determined 3 year old can get into your coop, so can a coon.

 

[K0k0shka]

If a determined 3 year old can get into your coop, so can a coon.

These comparisons with human children are unrealistic. Even young children have the kind of finger dexterity that a raccoon can only dream of. Not to mention problem solving skills. 3-year-old children are capable of a lot. A carabiner clip through a hasp is a piece of cake to a child, but an insurmountable obstacle to a raccoon. They just don't have the same kind of hands.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's not really racoons that make putting feed in the coop a bad idea, it's rodents. But also skunk, possum, whatever else would feed on it at night will smell it and be drawn to get into the coop. I suppose considering that it's already metal and locking, if you additionally locked it inside a metal garbage can, then you'd be playing it pretty safe. Or just make a covered area outside. Pop up tent or canopy or any kind of roof over feeder isn't too hard to rig.

 

[mowin]

I've always kept my feeders in the coop. Ya, might get a occasional mouse droppings, but there is no way anything large is getting in my coop.

 

[TOR]

Put the feeder in the coop till dryer days. just make sure you close the coop before dark You just stated you have coon there, if they(coon) get any food or a bird they will be back.
I have old barn I keep chickens in the front of barn. I keep feed inside. I open door at daylight and close at sunset.
If I can not do it I have couple neighbors with half mile one of them come over and close the barn up.
I have had my battles with predators.
Good Luck