Warning about a neighbor who insisted his coop setup was fine

I was helping my neighbor in Akron move some lumber last fall when I saw his coop had a gap under the door big enough for a raccoon to slip through. He said 'It's been fine for two years, they can't get in,' but I found three of his hens dead just a week later. How often do you all check for gaps in your coop's defenses?

3 comments

3 Comments

charlie3841mo ago

Is that gap under the door the only thing you noticed? In my experience, raccoons are smart and will work on a weak spot like that for a while before they finally get in. It might have been fine until it very suddenly wasn't. I check my coop edges every time I collect eggs, just a quick visual scan for any new digging or loose wire.

gibson.seth1mo ago

Check every single day, no joke. Saw a raccoon try a gap for a week straight before it gave up. They are patient and they learn. That "it's been fine" line is what gets your birds killed. Complacency is the real predator here. A two minute walk around the coop with a flashlight is all it takes.

betty_park629d ago

Do a 360 walk around my coop every night before I lock up. Found a spot where a rat had chewed through the hardware cloth last month. If I hadn't caught it that night, that hole would have been big enough for a weasel in a week. Takes me maybe 90 seconds with a headlamp.