a new peep here, hello everyone and thanks for having me.

[drumstick diva]

It would be a good idea to have a top on your run also - raccoons are great climbers. Yours sound heavy enough to break through a roof

 

[jmbwholesale]

In two days, I killed three raccoons and one opossum. The largest racoon weighs over 50 pounds, the opossum about 30 lbs. The two smaller raccoons weighed about 15 pounds each. Too bad I couldn't find someone who would take them for the hides and meat. I sure wouldn't eat them. Lol in the civil war, the troops carried leather poutches filled with racoon fat to dip their rations into, they stated that racoon fat tasted good. I guess that was the closest thing they had to butter. My granny never taught me to cook up opossum bellies or anything like that, just pigs and chickens. Fortunately for my chickens, they each have a name and will never be in my frying pan! I got a Scare today, my largest red hen was laying on one side and flipping and flopping. I couldn't see her feet. She kept sitting on them. She kept me wondering if she had a broken foot or something for over an hour. Finally, she jumped up and took off. Her feet are fine. She is the largest peeper. Can't wait till I get the winterized coup finished and get them moved in. There will be a lot more room for them there. For now, I have two pawhut coups tied together with the 1/4" wire all around. They seem to be rally happy. I pull up the wild bird seed sprouts that the cardinals knock out of the bird feeders and throw a few hand fulls into them and they love that!
Judy in Ohio

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC! My suggestion is to use 1/4 inch hardware cloth (very strong mesh wire) instead of chicken wire which won't keep out the predators. Good luck to you.

 

[jmbwholesale]

I did use the 1/4" mesh after all, and sandwiched it between wood after securely stapeling the mesh on. Godzilla would find it difficult to break in. I've killed over 30 raccoons and 2 large opossums since I began this journey! I'm becoming quite a marks woman. Shot one racoon that was 45 feet up in the tree accurately! With my handy dandy .22 no less! I hate to kill things but my chickens come first and predictors are at the bottom of my list.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

 

[jmbwholesale]

My peepers have grown! I have mail order silkie eggs incubating, too! My first attempt... here's pics of my peepers from Easter! If anyone knows what they are, I'd appreciate knowing!

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

My peepers have grown! I have mail order silkie eggs incubating, too! My first attempt... here's pics of my peepers from Easter! If anyone knows what they are, I'd appreciate knowing!

The bird in this photo is either a Light Sussex or a Columbian Plymouth Rock.
The red bird in back is a Production Red. The muffed/bearded bird in the right is an Easter Egger.


This bird is probably a smooth-faced Easter Egger.