How to Stop Raccoons from Getting Into Your Chicken Coop

According to Hobby Farms, raccoons are the number one chicken predator in North America. They are smart, strong, and persistent. A single raccoon can kill multiple birds in one night, and once it finds your coop, it will come back every evening until you stop it.

This guide covers exactly how raccoons break into coops, the signs they leave behind, and the specific steps that actually keep them out.

How Raccoons Attack Chicken Coops

Raccoons do not just force their way in. They problem-solve. Here is how they typically get to your birds:

• Reaching through wire: Raccoons fit their hands through 1-inch chicken wire openings. They grab sleeping chickens and pull them against the mesh, killing or injuring them without ever entering the coop.
• Opening latches: Raccoons can open slide bolts, hook-and-eye latches, and basic twist locks. They learn by trial and error and remember solutions.
• Digging under walls: If the coop has no floor and no dig apron, raccoons excavate under the wall in minutes.
• Tearing weak materials: Thin chicken wire, plastic mesh, and rotting wood are no match for raccoon strength. They peel materials back from corners and seams.

Signs a Raccoon Is Targeting Your Coop

You may not see the raccoon, but it leaves clues: See our guide to the best predator-proof locks for chicken coops for specific hardware recommendations.

• Five-toed tracks in mud or soft ground near the coop
• Scratch marks on door frames, latches, or mesh
• Bent or pulled chicken wire
• Dig marks at the base of walls
• Droppings near the coop — raccoon scat often contains seeds and berries
• Chickens nervous or refusing to roost at night

If you see these signs, a raccoon has already scouted your coop. Act immediately before the next nighttime visit.

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7 Steps to Raccoon-Proof Your Coop

1. Replace Chicken Wire with 1/2-Inch Hardware Cloth

This is the single most important step. Hardware cloth with 1/2-inch openings stops raccoon hands from reaching through. Cover every window, vent, and opening. Secure with screws and fender washers, not staples.

2. Install Two-Step Latches on Every Door

Use latches that require two separate motions to open. Carabiner clips, padlock hasps, or spring-loaded barrel bolts all work. A raccoon can figure out one motion but struggles with two sequential steps.

Lock every access point: main door, nest box lid, clean-out panel, and pop door. Raccoons check every one.

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3. Add a Dig Apron Around the Perimeter

Attach a 12 to 24 inch strip of hardware cloth along the bottom of the coop wall, extending outward. Bury it 4 to 6 inches deep or lay it flat on the surface under soil. When a raccoon digs at the wall base, it hits the wire barrier and gives up. Learn more about how dig aprons work.

4. Close the Coop Door at Dusk

Raccoons are nocturnal. They begin hunting at twilight. If your coop door is still open after sunset, you are inviting them in. An automatic coop door with a light sensor closes the door when daylight fades — every single night, no exceptions.

5. Eliminate Food Attractants

Raccoons come for easy meals. Remove these attractants from around your coop:

• Leftover feed in open dishes — bring feeders inside or use treadle feeders that close
• Unsecured compost bins near the coop
• Fallen fruit from nearby trees
• Pet food left outdoors
• Open garbage cans within 50 feet of the coop

6. Use Motion-Activated Deterrents

Motion-activated lights and sprinklers startle raccoons and make them associate your coop with an unpleasant experience. These are not a standalone solution, but they buy time and discourage casual visits.

Place lights or sprinklers facing outward along the coop perimeter. Solar-powered units work well and require no wiring.

7. Inspect for Weak Points Monthly

Walk the full perimeter of your coop and run once a month. Check for:

• Loose screws or washers on hardware cloth
• Rust or corrosion weakening the mesh
• Gaps forming at corners, door frames, or where wood has shifted
• Fresh dig marks at the apron line

Fix problems the day you find them. Raccoons test your coop regularly and will exploit any new weakness.

What Does NOT Work Against Raccoons

Some commonly suggested raccoon deterrents have little to no effect:

• Mothballs: Toxic, illegal to use outdoors in many states, and raccoons ignore them.
• Ammonia-soaked rags: The smell fades in hours. Raccoons return the next night.
• Predator urine: Works briefly, if at all. Raccoons habituate to it quickly.
• Ultrasonic repellers: Independent studies show no consistent effect on raccoons.

Physical barriers are the only reliable method. Everything else is a temporary supplement at best.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will a raccoon come back after a failed attempt?

Yes. Raccoons are persistent and have excellent memory. If a raccoon found your coop once, it will return multiple times. Physical barriers are the only way to permanently stop it.

Can raccoons chew through hardware cloth?

No. Standard 19-gauge galvanized hardware cloth is too strong for raccoon teeth. They can bend lightweight materials but cannot chew through properly installed hardware cloth.

Should I trap and relocate raccoons?

Trapping and relocation is illegal in many areas and often ineffective. Relocated raccoons frequently die, and new raccoons move into the territory within days. Focus on making your coop impenetrable instead.

Need a coop designed to stop raccoons from day one? Check out our predator-proof coop plans with raccoon-resistant hardware specs built in.