Nite Guard or Predator Guard?

[City girl Philly]

Hi, has anyone tried either of the predator eyes listed above? My babies will be moving to the coop in about 10 days and I am already nervous about nighttime predators. We definitely have foxes and raccoons and are surrounded by woods. I know nothing is 100% foolproof but there are lots of choices out there; I would appreciate your opinions. Thank you!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Predator guard is the one I've used and from reviews has advantages over the others. It has an on/off switch (to save battery) and replaceable batteries.
It seems to help somewhat but nothing will help if chickens are not locked in a tight building at night.

 

[City girl Philly]

Mine will be locked up in the coop every evening for sure! I still worry though bc I read that raccoons can undo locks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They can, but they can't undo padlocks. They can also tear through chicken wire and even tear off siding if not adhered well.

 

[Trish1974]

Mine will be locked up in the coop every evening for sure! I still worry though bc I read that raccoons can undo locks!

The man who built my coop said "if a toddler can undo a latch/lock, so can a raccoon". So you may want to invest in a more complicated lock. If you have a toddler, take him or her shopping with you to test them out!

As for the lights, I have two Nite Guards. They are solar powered - no batteries to worry about. I definitely wouldn't rely on them as your only line of defense. I have a security camera on my chicken run, and one evening I saw a raccoon arch up at the lights (like a cat) and run off. But on the other hand, I watched a possum walk right up to one and sniff it!

 

[City girl Philly]

Wow. Yes I am going to get padlocks!! I guess I'll keep the keys on a lanyard by the coop. Also I still don't know if I am gonna get Nite Guard or Predator Guard.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You can get packages of any number of locks all keyed the same at Lowe's, HD and others. They are cheaper that way and you'll have twice as many keys as locks. I currently use 7 locks all keyed the same.
Go on Amazon and read reviews on both. Unless something has changed, you'll likely find predator guard ranks higher.

 

[City girl Philly]

Thank you so much! Where do you keep your key tho?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I keep them in the locks. Raccoons haven't figured out how to work them. Maybe because they can't do so while hanging on the side of the building.

 

[City girl Philly]

Oh good I am glad you said that bc my husband said that too....keep the key in the lock! Thank you!!!