00:00If you keep chickens, raccoons are one of your absolute biggest threats.
00:04They're smart, persistent, and surprisingly dexterous.
00:07Able to open basic latches and reach right through chicken wire.
00:11So, how do you protect your flock effectively?
00:14Don't forget to subscribe to the channel and turn on the notification bell so you don't miss any new updates.
00:20First, upgrade your mesh.
00:22Standard chicken wire keeps chickens in, but it won't stop a raccoon.
00:26They can easily tear through it or reach inside to injure your birds.
00:30Replace it with heavy-duty, half-inch hardware cloth and secure all doors with two-step locks,
00:36like carabiners or padlocks, because raccoons can easily undo simple slide bolts.
00:42Second, fortify the perimeter.
00:44Raccoons are great diggers.
00:46Prevent them from tunneling under the coop by burying hardware cloth at least 12 inches deep around the base
00:52or extending a wire apron horizontally along the ground outside.
00:57Third, eliminate food attractants and lock up early.
01:00Raccoons are often drawn by chicken feed and leftover scraps rather than the chickens themselves.
01:06Clean up food before dusk, gather eggs daily, and lock your flock inside a fully enclosed coop before night falls.
01:13Combine strong physical barriers with good daily habits,
01:17and your flock will stay completely safe from clever predators.
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