my birds are out free ranging in our fenced yard during the day, I have once lost birds to the city raccoons in broad day light with us all around- it happened I think because we were lax about other stuff and the raccoons were drawn in by the sounds and smells of chicken feed and chickens, and it was a young city spring raccoon, we tightened it up a lot, we really consider things like that loud mouth bird, she is calling to every critter all around ,and leaving scraps and feed around, once the critters know there is an easy meal to be had,they keep coming back. we have learned a lot of lessons, the raccoons have a lot of tricks, and we keep learning them and stepping up our protection game. A lot of it is not just the type of fencing, but the husbandry and sanitation and keeping too.
Keeping four quiet laying birds safe is a lot easier than keeping two dozen food hoarding meat birds safe- lots of other factors besides the fencing
I want my birds to have the full yard, so we just do the best we can, we have a fort knox coop they are locked in at night- NOTHING can get in this coop, during the day they are still at risk- but its the risk we are willing to take to let them be free range in the full yard
I am sure you will find your balance of what you are willing to do and what you are willing to accept
Keeping four quiet laying birds safe is a lot easier than keeping two dozen food hoarding meat birds safe- lots of other factors besides the fencing
I want my birds to have the full yard, so we just do the best we can, we have a fort knox coop they are locked in at night- NOTHING can get in this coop, during the day they are still at risk- but its the risk we are willing to take to let them be free range in the full yard
I am sure you will find your balance of what you are willing to do and what you are willing to accept
