Coon Proofing the top of a coop?

[valmom]

What can we put over the top of our coop run to coon-proof it? We saw tracks inside the run and some chewing on the henhouse today that look like coon "hands". Our house is pretty predator proof- I have confidence in it. But I don't want them to get into the run that the girls and boys are out in during the day. I would think the netting wouldn't work for a heavy coon.

 

[lurky]

You might want to try trapping it to move or dispose of it. It sure seems like they are very destructive. BTW, i sent you an email on your website about some baby chicks locally.....did you get it?

 

[Poison Ivy]

I have netting covering my entire run. Since then no raccoons in the run and it held up to a hawk attacks several months back. I also keep a trap set 24/7 too which helps.

 

[Wolfpacker]

I had coons get into my run last year and kill all my chickens. They came through the chicken wire I had place over the top of my chainlink run. They meticulously picked it apart and made a hole just large enough to squeeze through, then they entered, did their damage, deposited two piles of skat, and went on their way leaving behind a single gray hair stuck in the chicken wire.

This spring I built and wooden frame and covered it with hardware cloth which I u-bolted to the top of my run. So far, so good.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Even welded wire fencing will keep coons out, although they can still reach through and kill any chicken they get their paws on. Hardware cloth has the added benefit of keeping out weasels. Weasels are less often a problem for people, but when they are a problem, they seem to decimate the flock. There seem to have been a lot more weasel attacks posted on the forum in the last month, including daytime raids, so I've been thinking about them a little more than usual. Reading on this forum makes me even more paranoid that I am already!

The other thing some people have done is layer the larger welded wire, which is strong, with chicken wire, which has the smaller holes. I don't know how the pricing compares to double wire like that, compared to hardware cloth.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Be careful about layering.

I almost lost a pullet who stuck her head through two layers of fencing. She stuck her head out and the outer layer pushed out a bit as well. When she tried to pull her head back in, the outer layer came with her and wedged her neck between the inner layer. Her pulling back only made the outer layer get tighter and tighter. Does that make sense? It kind of worked like those Chinese handcuffs you had when you were a kid. I just happened to find her hanging nearly unconcious and freed her.

 

[TxChiknRanchers]

Quote:
Was it a seam they picked apart or the poultry wire itself?
Randy

 

[foxtrapper]

Netting can work very well, it just has to be strong enough.

If you've got an electric fence charger, run a wire around the base of the fence to prevent the coons from climbing up in the first place.

 

[valmom]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I would love to get away with heavy netting. I don't know if it will work, but it may be worth a try.

Lurky: I only pick up my e-mail from my website a couple of times a week- it attracts spam

There are only so many Viagra ads one barn site needs. I will go read now! (your PM box here is full and wouldn't let me send you a message)

 

[lurky]

Quote:
I cleaned up PM folder, but my home email is listed if you wanted to mail me.