The “Chicken Coop” Defender. Another rifle debate.

Ze Lost Lake Massacre...YIKES...sounds like an 80's horror flick!
Do tell about the gory details!!

 

I lived in a cabin pretty far removed from civilization for a while about twenty years ago. One night my wife and I were woken up my critters scurrying around on the shingles outside. The next day, I looked around and noticed chipmunks everywhere. Those CB caps make less noise than the screen door swinging shut. But, I'm confident they don't have the oomph for anything bigger.

I've got a box of those I've been wanting to try. I got them over a year ago and since I cleaned/organized my "reloading room" I haven't seen them. Thanks for reminding me about them!

 

If limited to *only* those two, 22mag. Otherwise I'd go 223 because in my area it's a lot easier to find.

 

As you present your preferences, it appears you are more enthusiastic about the Ruger 9mm in spite of the brass scrounging habit. I frequently choose the 17HMR over centerfire for prairie dogs for that very reason....I don't have to reload it and the brass can fly anywhere. So, personally, I would choose the 22mag. It would be very effective at the 50 yd range and beyond. My bro-n-law has the very set -up you describe and has killed dozens of coons and a few coyotes....the coyotes at considerably longer distance than 50yds. Almost all dropped daed where they stood.
BUT, for the home defense issue, the 9mm is the clear choice with superior stopping power. Like most scenarios, the best option is to buy both

 

AR in 5.56. Have shot a few coyotes with it so far this season. Even with surplus ammo they go down fast. Coyotes and racoons also like eat at night. And it is much easier to put a light on an AR compared to a 22mag lever gun and some Ruger PCC models.

 

Most important thing to remember, when fighting those that would do a chicken harm is that they will almost always come at night. So more important is a bright tactical light (1000 lumen is great) or a night scope even the cheap ones with illuminators are awesome. My mp5 .22 with tac light and holo sight has saved many a flock.

 

Or a light by the coop.

 

That looks vaguely like a PPSH.... now I want one! Is that a factory variant or something you've put together yourself?

Mac

 

I do.

Of course.

Instead of reactionary methods that will assuredly fail at some time, I believe that excluding unwanted guests from the area in the first place is preferable. An ounce of prevention....

Our chickens' henhouse is inside a dog kennel overlaid with hardware cloth to include the roof and staked to the ground about two feet out in all directions.

A gun is not always the best answer.

 

I didn't read 6 pages of posts, but either option mentioned in the OP's first post would work for the stated purpose. The Ruger PC Carbine adds versatility for other things. It does make a good personal defense gun. I carry one as my all-around woods walking and ATV\UTV gun. I keep it loaded with 147 grain +P hard cast flat points, but that would be a bit much for the purpose stated by the OP. It's the base model with a Burris Fastfire III and a Streamlight pistol light added.

 

Gotta be able to reload it. If limited to 9vs 22mag I’m buying the 9 and loading it with 90gr bullets for a .380 and a stout load of something kinda slow.

If the chamber limitations are arbitrary then I’m changing my vote to something in the 30 carbine ballpark. Current market being what it is, I would lean heavy towards a 300blk rifle.

 

I tend to agree that a gun isn't always the correct answer; you can't imagine the ammo savings I've realized since Sam (my Mountain Cur) came to us a couple years ago! We shut most of our hens in at night and that solved a heck of a lot of problems. But my game-bred birds won't go in the chicken house, and so they roost in an open shed about 15 yards from my back porch. Sam sleeps on said porch, and alerts me to any problems we might be having with critters; I usually let her handle the offending creature and then clean up the mess. It's been a pretty good arrangement so far.

Mac

 

Yes but, if they are running away or sneaking towards it it's hard to see them.. best be on the rifle....I do like that idea though, maybe motion activated so it let's u know when to check.

 

I would use a .17HMR because of the great accuracy. I would put a light by the coop so the light blinds anything that comes to it & I would put a driveway alarm pointing away from the coop to alert me to movement outside the coop.

 

You would be wrong if they are the cb shorts... I used to live in an apartment complex and my balcony overlooked the neighbors garden... more than one groundhog at 25 t0 35 yards would disagree... as a side not never put a groundhog in the dumpster on a friday when the trash comes monday... in a 90 degree plus heat wave in my defense I was a kid...
I have 2 marlin 22 mags and a ammo can full of loose rounds and some factory boxed stuff that would be decent for that use...or as a truck gun for that matter. I got em too cheap to not get years back.

 

I use motion sensors to let me know when they are sneaking around.



I built them for hog hunting but they also sell “driveway alert” devices that work 100 yards or less.

The ones I made work a little over two miles, when the IR sensor picks up motion it powers up the radio (already keyed up) and plays back the message on the digital voice recorder.

 

My vote is for the .22 magnum. I think it’s more versatile than .22LR. I prefer my bolt actions for hunting and sport but for critter control around the house, I prefer an auto.
I’ve had good luck with my Remington 597 in .22 mag. Quick follow up shots are very handy when you have multiple visitors. If I didn’t have this 597, I might try one of the Savage A22 rifles in .22 mag.

I’ve had best luck with 40 and 50 gr ammo. I’ve never needed a second finishing shot with 40 & 50 gr. I can’t say that about the 30 gr ammo I’ve used though.

 

Honestly, I wouldn't use a firearm... too ineffective and a pain in the rear as most predators come at night when I would much rather be sleeping. We use a large walk in enclosed chicken run over a wire mat, that is then surrounded by an electric net. We haven't had a problem in the roughly two decades it's been in use. We got the run used for $400 and the netting was only about $200.

 

I like Skinny Pete's idea. Then I could get a good night's rest. Although if I had to resort to a short range chicken coop defender at night I could just get a light for my 9mm Ruger PC Carbine. It's already set up for mounting one and at 50 yards or less it's accurate enough for those critters
.. .. When it had a holographic sight on it, I could ring a 6 inch steel plate at 100 yards but a 9mm bullet must be losing a lot of energy that far out.