What kind of lock on the coop door?

[Shari6083]

Last Fall we had a predator open our chicken door and kill all of our 5 month old chickens. We think it was a raccoon.
I will soon be receiving new chicks and we want to secure the door better. My husband put this kind of a latch on the door. What do y'all think. Is this enough? If not, can you insert a picture of one that would work?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Not enough. A raccoon can figure that latch out in no time and teach their kits how to work it. I use hasps with padlocks on them. So far they haven't figured out how to open the lock. I have 7 chicken doors currently. I bought multiple packs of padlocks at Lowes that are all keyed the same. It works for me.
https://www.google.com/search?q=has...mg&ei=cTSSXriWMoTXsQXB3ayABA&bih=870&biw=1280

 

[Shari6083]

Excellent! Thank you!

 

[Folly's place]

I have people sized doors on my coop, with exterior door knobs and locks, and hang the key outside. No raccoon will figure that out!
Anything a child can open is doable by a raccoon!!!
Mary

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Keep in mind that a raccoon can climb a sheer wall so no matter where you place the latch, they can reach it and open it with their nimble fingers and evil brains.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Not enough. A raccoon can figure that latch out in no time and teach their kits how to work it. I use hasps with padlocks on them. So far they haven't figured out how to open the lock. I have 7 chicken doors currently. I bought multiple packs of padlocks at Lowes that are all keyed the same. It works for me.
https://www.google.com/search?q=has...mg&ei=cTSSXriWMoTXsQXB3ayABA&bih=870&biw=1280

Those are what I use as well.
Due to egg loss to 2 legged vermin I also use padlocks.
No key no entry.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have another building that I use a different technique to close. That building has 4 aluminum sandwich corrugated doors with 2 t-nuts and thumb screws on each door.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Those are what I use as well.
Due to egg loss to 2 legged vermin I also use padlocks.
No key no entry.

I haven't had 2 legged predators yet but if I did, I'd remove the key. The locks all keyed the same simplifies that. For the time being, I've left a key in each lock.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I haven't had 2 legged predators yet but if I did, I'd remove the key. The locks all keyed the same simplifies that. For the time being, I've left a key in each lock.

I am just glad they didn't take the chickens.....although those probably ran to the run through the pop door...then back into the coop if the perp went into the run. Kinda hard to catch them that way.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Catching wary chickens during the day for a person the chickens don't know is pretty impossible.
They probably didn't want the chickens. They wanted the eggs and let you continue to feed and care for them.