How do I keep raccoons away

[johnderosa1]

I highly recommend the electric fence route. I have every predator you can think of here including bears... No sign of anything larger than s squirrel getting into my yard since installing it and only a few of them made it past... Even they eventually hit the wires and stay away . I got the strongest battery powered fence and put a 30 watt solar charger with controller on it to keep the battery charged . Works great but it really hurts if you accidentally touch it . I used to trap and kill raccoons regularly as a way to protect my birds but havent done so since installing the fence . Going on 2 years now

 

[sheetmetaltom]

My understanding is that if any of the common predators can get their head through the wire they can get the rest of their body through. Because of that I am using 1/2" hardware cloth fro my fening on the coop and run. I would rather pay more now in money than the high emotional price later on to flock loss due to my not doing due diligence. Just my 2 cents.

that's what I was thinking I had 1 place where the wire was 4x4 and there was some fur on the wire. I added 1/2x1 wire there. better late then never?

 

[Watermelon123]

Okay, It has been almost a month and I havent seen ANY raccoons. I used to be able to look outside at 2:00 and see the little things rumaging about. Now I don't! I now look out every 30 mins from 7:00-3:00. I didn't see them. My little halk-freind has afficially moved out. My vet has chickens and has seen my raccoons, she recomended that I dig a foot under and a foot out from my coop. She also has a electric fence but I can't have one because I am closer to the suberbs. Thanks everyone!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I highly recommend the electric fence route. I have every predator you can think of here including bears... No sign of anything larger than s squirrel getting into my yard since installing it and only a few of them made it past... Even they eventually hit the wires and stay away . I got the strongest battery powered fence and put a 30 watt solar charger with controller on it to keep the battery charged . Works great but it really hurts if you accidentally touch it . I used to trap and kill raccoons regularly as a way to protect my birds but havent done so since installing the fence . Going on 2 years now

My coops are mostly around the perimeter of the property and what I would call forest. I've seen families of raccoons climbing down from the trees onto the coop roofs. I'd love to use electric fencing but after witnessing them go from tree to tree, I don't know where to put it cause if I run it around the coops, predators will just come from above.

Okay, It has been almost a month and I havent seen ANY raccoons. I used to be able to look outside at 2:00 and see the little things rumaging about. Now I don't! I now look out every 30 mins from 7:00-3:00. I didn't see them. My little halk-freind has afficially moved out. My vet has chickens and has seen my raccoons, she recomended that I dig a foot under and a foot out from my coop. She also has a electric fence but I can't have one because I am closer to the suberbs. Thanks everyone!

While they don't actually hibernate, raccoons will hunker down for most of the winter after fattening themselves up in the fall. Also, they have huge territories and often don't sleep in the same den every night. That means they may only frequent your property weekly or less frequently.
You may not see them for quite a while but they're still afoot.

 

[JJSS89]

Watermelon 123,
the hawk might just be going to nest or it has found another temporary food-source. Why can't you have an electric fence where you live?

 

[Watermelon123]

I live in a semi-rural town by a school for autistic kids. I don't think it is such a good idea.

 

[Watermelon123]

I am also aware that they move from den to den.

 

[JJSS89]

To be clear, an electric fence isn't like 400 streaming amps when you contact it. Most chargers for hotwire are pretty mild and really don't give much of a shock since they are pulsating.

 

[Watermelon123]

Let me check my ordinance if I can then I will get one.

 

[centrarchid]

I live in a semi-rural town by a school for autistic kids. I don't think it is such a good idea.:/

Put signs on it to advertise it it hot. Someone will have to explain to kids about the fence's unpleasant nature to reduce odds they will challenge it.