Raccoons are highly adaptable, nocturnal omnivores often found near human settlements. Their varied diet includes fruits, nuts, insects, and small vertebrates. A backyard chicken coop, with its confined poultry and stored feed, represents an accessible food source. Raccoons are a major threat to domestic fowl, capable of inflicting substantial losses on an unprotected flock.
Raccoon Predation Habits
Raccoons are primary land predators of backyard poultry across North America. Their decision to attack is driven by high caloric needs and opportunism, particularly during the late summer and autumn when they are building fat reserves for winter. They hunt under the cover of darkness, making the hours between dusk and dawn the most dangerous for an unsecured flock.
The practice of killing multiple birds in a single encounter is often referred to as “surplus killing.” They possess the instinct to neutralize multiple threats or secure a large supply of food when presented with easy access to a confined group. This behavior results in widespread damage, where many birds are killed but only partially eaten or left where they fell.
Identifying the Attack Signatures
A raccoon attack leaves specific evidence that distinguishes it from other predators like foxes or weasels. Raccoons are known for their remarkable dexterity, utilizing their hand-like paws and sensitive digits to manipulate the environment. This dexterity allows them to easily unlatch simple hook-and-eye closures, slide bolts, or lift poorly secured lids, granting them entry into the coop.
Raccoons often focus their attack on the head, neck, and crop area of the bird, even when reaching through fencing. A characteristic sign of a raccoon kill is finding a chicken with its head or neck missing, or with severe injuries concentrated around the crop and breast, while the rest of the carcass is left behind. If the wire mesh is large, a raccoon may reach through and pull off the head or a limb of a chicken roosting too close to the edge. This means that even a bird that survives may be left with a broken wing or a missing leg.
Compared to other common predators, these signs are distinct. A fox is more likely to carry off the entire carcass to its den, leaving behind only scattered feathers. Weasels typically leave a small bite mark at the base of the skull or neck and may consume internal organs, but rarely cause the extensive mutilation seen with a raccoon. The presence of tracks resembling miniature human hands near the entry point further confirms the raccoon as the culprit.
Securing the Coop From Raccoons
Effective defense against raccoons relies on exclusion, making the coop physically impenetrable to their strength and cleverness. Standard chicken wire is not sufficient, as raccoons can tear through it or reach through the wide mesh openings. All openings, including windows and vents, should be covered with heavy-gauge welded wire mesh, specifically 1/2-inch or 1/4-inch hardware cloth, which is too small for them to reach through.
Due to their manipulative abilities, latches must be complex, requiring more than one simple motion to open, such as a carabiner clip or a dual-action bolt lock. Simple gravity latches or hook-and-eye closures are easily defeated. To prevent digging, install a wire apron by burying hardware cloth at least 12 inches deep around the perimeter of the chicken run.
Removing outside attractants reduces the incentive for a raccoon to linger near the coop. This includes securing all feed in airtight metal containers and ensuring that pet food is not left outdoors overnight. For persistent predation issues, a low-voltage electric poultry netting fence placed around the perimeter can provide a final deterrent, delivering a harmless shock that discourages repeat visits.