Barb wire

[Laura78]

Ok so I'm trying to make a fort out of my run and coop. Run will have utility wire fence 6 feet up and chicken wire 4 feet up. Posts will be t-posts. Also adding electric fencing meant for cows, deer netting on the top. What do you guys/gals think of barb wire at the top, like what is used on the top of prison fences? Could also be razor fencing if it's cheap enough.

 

[flopshot]

i'd go with welded wire on top before i'd mess with barbed wire. deer fence will be no match for a coon or bobcat. may not stop and owl or hawk either. small lightweight predators will not be detered by the barb. Concertina wire is some mean stuff and unless you have evidence of some serious problems it's overkill.

 

[Laura78]

I honestly don't think any kind of wire top I could put up would keep a cougar out, and we've got lots of them here that go right thru our yards. But I do think think barb or razor wire might help keep them off the top.

 

[bantamfan]

IF it was me, I'd put chicken wire over the top, and the electric fence is a great ide. The darn loose dogs that have to investigate everything would likely not come back after a bite from the fence. Great idea there.
I had neighborhood kids coming over to gather my eggs for me, and everything got messed up. A locked door was a must, and my electric fence was a hoot. You could hear the dogs cry a long ways off when they got bit.

 

[Laura78]

Quote:
Already been looking at locks, probably going to go with a heavy duty lock meant for outside. Our day time preditors will be 2 loose dogs (lab/dalmation/pit mixes), hawks, eagles, and maybe some cats. Night time will bring on the cougars, foxes (guessing evening and morning hrs), racoons, rats, weasles, cats, and maybe some wild dogs. At night the birds will be inside. I've also got 4 turkeys and 2 geese to put in there with the chickens and ducks, so that should help with the preditory birds. I'm thinking the electric fence will help with the dogs and maybe the coons, wild cats, and domestic cats. What makes it over the electric fence should be stopped by the barb/razor wire. I'm putting some birds I plan to show and my kids plan to show, so I don't want to have to worry about anything getting to them.

 

[flopshot]

Quote:
cougars !!! dang!! you need chain link on the top, electrified razor wire around the sides and an M60. glad i don't have to deal with big cats.

 

[Laura78]

Quote:
cougars !!! dang!! you need chain link on the top, electrified razor wire around the sides and an M60. glad i don't have to deal with big cats.

Chain link won't stop them if they're determined. Neighbor saw one climb a fence to get at a wolf hybrid, that's why I'm thinking barb wire. I've found their paw prints right by my front porch (as if it was going to come onto my porch) when it snowed.

 

[ChickenNoodle]

How about just puting a galvanized metal roof on top. It's solid, strong and fairly cheap.

 

[Laura78]

That might work. I'll look into it. I'd just couldn't have it flat because of all the rain and snow we get. Heck I woke up to snow today.