Fencing

[farminbigs]

What is the best type of fencing to use to keep predators out. We have chicken wire right now, but it appears that something has already managed to chew through a piece of it?? The only predators in our area would be raccoons, rats and hawks. Our dogs do a pretty good job of keeping them out of our yard, but the small hole is concerning. Luckily I am home all day and keep a watchful eye on them while they are in their pen and we lock them up at night.

 

[RoostersCrow HensDeliver!]

IMO nothings better than electric net fencing unless its a fully enclosed welded wire run with hardware cloth running the bottom.

Coons get zapped on the nose by a 25 mile charger and they'll be running in the other direction.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, most people find that 1/2 inch hardware cloth will prevent raccoon hands reaching through and weasels from going through, but that combined with a heavy wire horse fencing is even better, as the previous poster wrote.

 

[farminbigs]

Luckily we don't have weasels here, but it looks like we'll be getting some hardware cloth this weekend. Thanks for the info!

Edited to add, growing up we didn't have anything crazy for our hens and they were never bothered by any predators! We must have been lucky! We had coyotes, raccoons, dogs, cats, rats, hawks, eagles, you name it. But my neighbor said his entire flock was slaughtered by a raccoon. City coons are so much more vicious it seems...