Everything rocking along good

[PhilSanchez]

You walk in find a good hen half eaten, breaks your heart. Gonna fortify this pen like Fort Knox, things go along great for 9 months, you walk out to let the girls free range like you do every morning, look around one of your great buff orphingtons half eaten no idea how the thing got in. So off to Tractor Supply get the necessaries for electric fence, Now you coon or more likely an opossum see what you can do.

 

[sourland]

Well done on the fortification. It's a constant battle as everything loves chicken. Some folks bait the hot wire with bacon to educate the predators. Good luck.

 

[PhilSanchez]

Well done on the fortification. It's a constant battle as everything loves chicken. Some folks bait the hot wire with bacon to educate the predators. Good luck.

Running about 10,000 volts, hit that once might learn a lesson. Me and Sonia hunting for a way this rascal got in, can’t find it.

 

[Folly's place]

I'd still bait it first!
If it's possible to pull that pen door open a bit from the bottom, that works for a raccoon. No opening larger than 1'2" diameter, anywhere, is best, otherwise somebody will get in there. Weasels will kill many at once, rats kill chickens when roosting, and raccoons and opossums are never good.
Mary

 

[roosterhavoc]

What’s the purpose of baiting the electric fence with raccoons, fox etc..? Whatever got in the pen already knows what’s there. Baiting it you run the risk of drawing other animals in that weren’t a problem.

 

[cmom]

Good job. I love my electric wires around my pens and coops. So far nothing here has gotten past them. I have never baited my wires but when I put them up initially I did hear critters that I'm sure tested them. Now I think the adults teach the young to keep their distance. My next best thing are game cameras. Good luck...
I'm sure this is a mother teaching her young not to mess around the coops. I have seen tracks but no intrusions.