Can racoons climb chicken wire?

[Namble]

I have chicken wire on the sides and top of my run. But on top there are a few rips in the old rusty wire where raccoons could get in. But can they climb chickens wire is the question?

 

[Cuban Longtails]

They don't need to climb it (they could if they wanted, they are excellent climbers), they can tear right through it if they're determined enough.

 

[deerman]

they can go under ,over , or thru. which ever is easier.

 

[chickbea]

They will indeed climb chicken wire, and very skillfully also.
I use netting on the top of my pen rather than wire, because then the 'coons won't try to walk along the top to get in like they will with wire. Even though they can certainly rip through the netting, they don't seem to like to go into it - I'm not sure why...
I don't use chicken wire either, for the same reason Cuban Longtails gave; I use heavy gauge fencing with rectangular holes (I don't know it's actual name...).
EDITED TO ADD: I then surround the entire enclosure with double strand electric fence. One is positioned low to the ground so that they can't burrow under, and the other is at the level so that if they try to start climbing the fence, they get a zap right in the tummy. In 15 years I've never had a predator inside the fence (knock on wood!

).

 

[spook]

Best reccomendation is that make sure your house is raccoon proof at night and you will be ok.

There was a photo of what a raccoon can do to welded wire. It has made me think twice, unbelievable. So, if any preditor wanted in, raccoon, dog, weasle, hawk, apparently there is no way of completely securing a pen.

I have seen a raccoon (short lived one) in my chicken yard in daylight, but everyone loves chicken and you cannot build fort knox.

Its tough, we all have preditors.

 

[Chicken Fruit]

Coons can climb anything they can stick their fingers in. If they can climb a birch tree imagine how simple climbing chicken wire is....

 

[jqs birds]

Wrap your fence corners with metal this is where they can climb in.
I have never seen a coon climb bare wire. They climb the corners where they can reach around and get a hold.

 

[deerman]

Seen them climb an all wire pen. Believe me they can climb just about anything except electric fence.