Coop Safety from Raccoons

[littlecoopnextdoor]

I was reading into our city laws on electric fencing and I’m not 100% sure I can do electricity. But I am considering building a run. My parents built one for themselves before and are offering their hand.
My thoughts were to do a 5x8ft run with hardware cloth enclosing it. Would this be enough or should I look into extra measures at the base of the run?

If you can raise up your coop about 2.5 feet, then you can add that length to your run as well. I have a 4x17ft run for my (currently two but in spring will be 4) chickens, with 5ft of that being under the coop. It's a great way to add length. My run is not people size, I have to crouch to get in but I'm okay with that for now. it's 4ft tall. 1/2' hardware cloth all around it, with 1/4' around the coop and on the top of the run

 

[Sono]

I was reading into our city laws on electric fencing and I’m not 100% sure I can do electricity. But I am considering building a run. My parents built one for themselves before and are offering their hand.
My thoughts were to do a 5x8ft run with hardware cloth enclosing it. Would this be enough or should I look into extra measures at the base of the run?

City laws are you cant electrify your property boundaries, But if it is attached to the coop/runthat is a whole different scenario. Reason you cant electrify your property boundaries is due to first responders encounters with it. ( chasing thugs or having to access utilities...ect ) You can clarify this with code enforcement for your areas, just stress to them it is only the chicken coop being protected, not the property. AND if they ok this, get it in writing either paper or email for future use as officers/offices change accordingly,

 

[rosemarythyme]

If electric is a no-go then if you get the cage you listed (or anything similar) you'll need to cover at least the bottom few feet of wall with hardware cloth, to prevent reach throughs, and cover any gaps larger than 1/2" around doors, framing, etc. as well.

My thoughts were to do a 5x8ft run with hardware cloth enclosing it. Would this be enough or should I look into extra measures at the base of the run?

Even if raccoons are the only thing you're worried about now, it'd be beneficial to add an apron of 16-24" around the perimeter as well.

Also... 5x8 is a very minimally sized run - it will not allow for integration of new birds (which I assume you're doing since you're down to one) nor will it allow for you to put in clutter or other enrichment. Is this in addition to more space that's predator proof? How many chickens do you plan to keep in total, and will they be locked up around the clock? I strongly suggest 100 sq ft (10x10) minimum even for a flock of 3, to allow for the things mentioned above, plus easier maneuverability for keepers.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The electric fences are sized to the animal you want to control. The small ones like I have for chickens and other small animals feel like a warm burn sensation to us but to smaller animals its unpleasant. Now the difference is.... you dont want to touch an electric horse or cattle fence !

Mine is JUICED. it is designed to deter bears. My husband says it hurts. I don't think it does, but it def wakes me up! Maybe my tester overestimates my fence, but it puts out 10k.

 

[Bubblesunrise]

Hello all!!
I am going to be buying supplies this weekend and currently, my main goal is to encompass a majority, if not, my whole backyard for the chickens. I will be doing 5ft tall posts lined with hardware cloth and a skirt as well to prevent any digging. I really love having my hens be able to explore my yard, and since I don’t use it for anything other than my hens I don’t mind using the space. I figure this may be a simple setup for now, but over time as I have more money for this, I can invest in sturdier and more long term additions.