Will this be safe for overnight?

[saritastar]

I have a playhouse coop/yard that is mostly put together, except the actual coop box they would get locked in overnight. I've got too many chicks for the coop size and plan on making the whole thing into a shed/coop with a different attached yard, so I don't want to finish closing the coop box when I'd just have to undo it in the next few weeks... so, I'm wondering if having them in a dog kennel (the plastic ones with the double spring closure) would be safe enough? I've got hardware cloth all along the sides, screwed into the frame, chicken wire on the ground under the edges (but not buried, it's just on the ground, half in and half out of the coop and the door has a padlock.

I've been bringing them inside every night and I can keep doing that if it's safer, but it would really be nice to leave them out. If a raccoon could manage to get into the coop yard, could it also get into the dog crate?

This is what it would look like (and I'd screw the crate to the wood so it couldn't be knocked off)---and yes they all fit in there, they are still so tiny.

 

[Omran]

Well if you have racoon wondering around out there over night, then the best thing is to keep them safe inside.
Last year I cought 3 racoons with the trap and they are really strong, one of them was so close to brake out.
Good luck.
Omran

 

[DvanderSlik]

Be careful because raccoons have tiny little hands, and sharp claws. Since chickens can't see well at night they might not know a raccoon is lingering outside, so they won't know to move away from the gated door. I've heard of raccoons eating chickens THROUGH the chicken wired fence.

 

[saritastar]

I brought them in. There are raccoons around for sure -- I moved in about 5 months ago and had to clean up 2 huge raccoon latrines in the yard.

 

[rivers2011]

Quote:
raccoon latrine????

 

[teach1rusl]

How big are the openings in that grate? I think if it's hardware cloth sized, they'd be okay if you also locked the latch (or use a carabiner clip). If a raccoon came around, it might scare the poo out of them, but it doesn't look like one could access them. However, since you KNOW you have raccoons that frequent the area, it's probably a case of 'better safe than sorry,' so I'd probably bring them in...

 

[saritastar]

Quote:
raccoon latrine????

Yeah. They poop in communal spots over and over. This house/yard was empty for about 9 months so it was prime territory for a raccoon crapper, lol. At least it's all in the same area, not randomly all over the yard like a dog (that's what I kept telling myself as I cleaned it up anyway). I haven't seen any sign of them since then, but there are lots in my area of town so I know they are around.

 

[saritastar]

Quote:
The grate squares are 1"x1". I'll just keep bringing them in... it will really only be a little bit before the whole thing is set up the way I want.