Can raccoons get into a chicken coop?
Yes, and raccoons are the most common way a flock is lost. They open simple hook and slide latches with their hands, reach through chicken wire to grab birds, and dig under a run. The fixes are specific: ½-inch hardware cloth instead of chicken wire, a 2-foot dig-proof skirt, and two-step or locking latches a raccoon can't work.
How raccoons get in
They open latches
Raccoons have dexterous hands and figure out hook, slide, and turn latches. A simple latch is no barrier.
They reach through wire
Through chicken wire or wide mesh, a raccoon reaches in and grabs a bird against the fence, even without getting inside.
They dig and pull
A raccoon will dig at the base of a run and pull weak wire apart at the seams and corners.
They work at night
They test a coop after dark, night after night, until they find the weak spot. One gap is enough.
How to stop them
- ½-inch PVC-coated hardware cloth, not chicken wire, on runs and windows so they can't reach through or tear it.
- A 2-foot dig-proof skirt of hardware cloth at ground level around the whole perimeter.
- Two-step or locking latches on doors and nesting-box lids, the kind a raccoon can't work.
- No gaps around doors, vents, or the roofline.
Every Triano Farms coop is built with all of this standard. More on predator-proofing a coop in NJ and why chicken wire isn't enough.
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