Keeping predators out of chicken coop11/30/2023 ![]() ![]() Look for weak areas or places that the wire mesh isn’t secured well. Secure the Wire Mesh on Your CoopĪny wire mesh you have on your coop should be secured because raccoons will try to bend it or pry it off so they can gain access. ![]() In short, don’t leave anything out that raccoons may be attracted to. The same goes for dishes of water because raccoons are attracted to water sources. If you have other animals like dogs or cats, do not leave pet food outside. You can do this by making sure raccoons cannot get to any wild bird feeders you have or even the seed on the ground. To lower the chances of raccoons even finding your chickens, make your yard less attractive to the animals. Image Credit: Pixabay Make Your Yard Less Attractive to Raccoons If you’re like most people with chickens, you probably put your flock back inside the coop at night for safekeeping, which is exactly when those crafty and sneaky raccoons come out! Here are some steps you can take to keep your chicken coop safe from raccoons. As nocturnal animals, raccoons do most of their hunting at night when they’re camouflaged by their distinct coats. ![]() Raccoons can be found just about everywhere in the United States so don’t think you’re lucky and don’t have them around. Image Credit: Becky Sheridan, Shutterstock To keep raccoons out of your chicken coop so your flock is safe, you have to outsmart those furry masked bandits. Raccoons have incredible manual dexterity and can open latches and closures, dig under fences and runs, and reach their human-like paws through wire mesh that’s too small for their bodies to fit in. Instead of eating the whole bird or even most of it, raccoons will typically eat the bird’s innards and sometimes part of the chest. The dead bodies will usually be left where they were killed, and not carried away. When a raccoon gets into a chicken coop, it will normally kill several birds if it can reach them. Without your assistance, your chickens are simply no match for raccoons. A chicken coop is a prime target for raccoons because they know it’s a source of relatively easy prey. They’re also able to climb and dig very well and they use their front paws a lot like we humans use our hands, which is both creepy and cute. But protecting your flock from raccoons is a bit more challenging than protecting them from other predators because raccoons are so darn smart. If you keep backyard chickens, you know it’s very important to predator-proof your coop. ![]()
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