Raccoons in the Hen House
Chickens have become an ever increasing staple for families and its no wonder why. Owning chickens offers numerous benefits for homeowners. They provide a consistent supply of fresh, organic eggs, which can enhance your diet. Chickens also contribute to pest control by eating insects and reducing garden pests naturally. Additionally, they produce nutrient-rich manure that can be composted to improve soil health. Chickens are engaging pets, promoting an enjoyable and educational experience for families. Lastly, raising chickens fosters a sustainable lifestyle, reducing reliance on store-bought eggs.
While owning chickens offers various benefits, it also comes with risks, particularly from predators such as raccoons, foxes, and hawks. Raccoons are notorious for raiding chicken coops and can cause significant harm to your flock. Effective predator-proofing measures are essential to protect your chickens from these threats. To keep them out it’s important to first understand why and how they can get in. Their intelligence and dexterity allow them to breach enclosures, making them effective predators. Here are some tips to help ensure your flock is protected.
Behavior: Raccoons are nocturnal and primarily hunt at night, targeting easy prey like chickens. They may kill multiple birds in a single visit due to a instinct called “surplus killing”. Ensure your flock makes it inside the coop around sundown and the door is securely shut. Ensure any food outside the coop is cleaned up at night and not available to wildlife.
Entry Points: Raccoons can fit through small openings and are skilled at opening doors and latches. This adaptability can lead to devastating losses in chicken coops that are not properly secured. Consider having two latches on each door to reduce the chance a Raccoon will gain entry. Make sure every opening is secured with hardware cloth.
Prevention: A Raccoon will shred chicken wire. Instead use 1/2 x 1/2 inch hardware cloth to secure your run and your coop. Windows and any other openings should be covered. If you have windows that open and close for airflow, put a layer of hardware cloth on the inside of the coop so even if the window gets left open, wildlife can’t get into the coop.
Predator Removal: If you are still having predators lurk around your coop, its time to consider trapping and removal. Over time wildlife adjusts to being in close proximity to homes and humans, creating a dependency. This is unhealthy for the animal and recommended by the NC Wildlife Commission that habituated problem animals should be euthanized. Ultimately this helps maintain healthy populations of native wildlife while protecting humans from unwanted altercations.
If Raccoons or other predators are damaging your livestock, it's important to take immediate steps to protect your flock. Call us today at (336) 915-7373 to speak with a wildlife control agent. Let us take care of your wildlife issues quickly and effectively!
