High coop entrance that raccoons and rodents can't climb

[Katy]

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I can guarentee you that any opening a chicken can fit thru so can any number of predators.

The only predators we have to worry about are ones that can jump higher than the climb-prevention barrier.

It seems that cats would be easy enough to stop with a run. (This was discussed before you arrived.) The coop would only be open to the run.

But if this is used for free-range poultry: Can a cat jump from the ground to a rooftop? A bigger concern in this area, are coyotes because they are more likely to dig under a portable a run (so I'm told). If a coyote could fit through an opening that was just large enough for a brown Leghorn, then the S-shaped corridor is not an option, and the only design that "might" work, is one that were too high for any predator to jump, as I posted earlier:
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A number of experienced people have said that there are things raccoons cannot climb or jump up to. The only person who I know of, who has actually done these tests, claims that a raccoon cannot jump or climb a platform that is less then 5 1/2 feet off the ground. I emailed them a while ago, asking for an update and details. They have not yet replied.
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Do you have experience with materials such as those that are used commercially for climb prevention barriers? I know that these exist for rodents and Pat mentioned some that are used by zoos. Pat seems to believe that some climb-prevention barriers are able to stop raccoons.

I've had four pet raccoons and they can get anywhere they want to go, plus I've dealt with many wild ones over the years.

You are so full of it....obviously a troll who as someone else said likes to hear the sound of your own voice and already feels he knows it all Even tho you come on here asking for advice and opinions it is obvious you're here just to be obnoxious and that you feel hands on experience is worthless since we can't produce an official study for you to dissect.

Do you even own any chickens?

 

[schellie69]

Well said, hello from another Kansas person....

 

[Lumenos]

Quote:
The only predators we have to worry about are ones that can jump higher than the climb-prevention barrier.

It seems that cats would be easy enough to stop with a run. (This was discussed before you arrived.) The coop would only be open to the run.

But if this is used for free-range poultry: Can a cat jump from the ground to a rooftop? A bigger concern in this area, are coyotes because they are more likely to dig under a portable a run (so I'm told). If a coyote could fit through an opening that was just large enough for a brown Leghorn, then the S-shaped corridor is not an option, and the only design that "might" work, is one that were too high for any predator to jump, as I posted earlier:
Quote:
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A number of experienced people have said that there are things raccoons cannot climb or jump up to. The only person who I know of, who has actually done these tests, claims that a raccoon cannot jump or climb a platform that is less then 5 1/2 feet off the ground. I emailed them a while ago, asking for an update and details. They have not yet replied.
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Do you have experience with materials such as those that are used commercially for climb prevention barriers? I know that these exist for rodents and Pat mentioned some that are used by zoos. Pat seems to believe that some climb-prevention barriers are able to stop raccoons.

I've had four pet raccoons and they can get anywhere they want to go, plus I've dealt with many wild ones over the years.

Here is a climb prevention barrier called a slick fence. It is plastic:

"This special fence has been installed to prevent raccoons, skunks, rats, [snakes], etc. from accessing private electrical substations or private property. Animals are unable to climb over or dig through these secured areas as they are protected by this heavy duty material." http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsRatsOilFieldGallery.html

"This is a slip sheet installed on an electrical powerline support. We use this method to prevent animals from climbing the cable to the electrical transformers. For example: rats, raccoons, and squirrels are unable to access the cable beyond the slip sheet. " http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsRatsGallery2.html

I'm not assuming that it works but an (inexpensive) fence that might keep these animals out of a coop is worth investigating. It looks like something raccoons or rodents might chew through or tear.

In the particular setup in the photographs, it seems a raccoon could climb where the rivets are going vertical, at the hinge of the fence, by getting claws between the two pieces of the slip wall on both sides of the hinge and grabbing the the edges of the plastic. Perhaps this could be avoided by using a metal lip to hold the sheet down, gluing, or welding the plastic to itself. These animals would probably be much more motivated to get to chicken (food), so these applications are quite different.

If you have seen raccoons climb, chew, or tear this type of plastic or sheet metal, please tell.

[Updated to change the part in bold (among other things).]

 

[Katy]

Quote:
The only predators we have to worry about are ones that can jump higher than the climb-prevention barrier.

It seems that cats would be easy enough to stop with a run. (This was discussed before you arrived.) The coop would only be open to the run.

But if this is used for free-range poultry: Can a cat jump from the ground to a rooftop? A bigger concern in this area, are coyotes because they are more likely to dig under a portable a run (so I'm told). If a coyote could fit through an opening that was just large enough for a brown Leghorn, then the S-shaped corridor is not an option, and the only design that "might" work, is one that were too high for any predator to jump, as I posted earlier:
Quote:
Quote:
A number of experienced people have said that there are things raccoons cannot climb or jump up to. The only person who I know of, who has actually done these tests, claims that a raccoon cannot jump or climb a platform that is less then 5 1/2 feet off the ground. I emailed them a while ago, asking for an update and details. They have not yet replied.

Do you have experience with materials such as those that are used commercially for climb prevention barriers? I know that these exist for rodents and Pat mentioned some that are used by zoos. Pat seems to believe that some climb-prevention barriers are able to stop raccoons.

I've had four pet raccoons and they can get anywhere they want to go, plus I've dealt with many wild ones over the years.

Here is a climb prevention barrier called a slick fence. It is plastic:

"This special fence has been installed to prevent raccoons, skunks, rats, [snakes], etc. from accessing private electrical substations or private property. Animals are unable to climb over or dig through these secured areas as they are protected by this heavy duty material." http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsRatsOilFieldGallery.html

"This is a slip sheet installed on an electrical powerline support. We use this method to prevent animals from climbing the cable to the electrical transformers. For example: rats, raccoons, and squirrels are unable to access the cable beyond the slip sheet. " http://www.unitedwildlife.com/AnimalsRatsGallery2.html

I'm not assuming that it works but an (inexpensive) fence that might keep these animals out of a coop is worth investigating. It looks like something raccoons might tear, or climb where the rivets are going vertical (by putting their paw between the two pieces of the slip wall and climbing the rivets). These animals would probably be much more motivated to get to chicken (food), so these applications are quite different.

If you have seen raccoons climb or tear these types of materials, please tell.
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I'm sorry if questioning your authority is upsetting to you. I don't know of another way to investigate controversial matters. Thank you for contributing and any other information you have, would be appreciated.

I'm hardly upset.....I actually find people like you rather amusing.

You are free to take advice or not.

Waste your time building whatever kind of coop you want.

Controversial matter?.........I hardly think this thread qualifies as that.

Since you didn't answer if you had chickens or not, I'm taking it as a no.

 

[Lumenos]

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Dang it! I didn't delete that in time. But I'd much rather be amusing than upsetting so it is good to hear that.

 

[Katy]

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Dang it! I didn't delete that in time. But I'd much rather be amusing than upsetting so good to hear that.

Well I don't find you amusing in a ha-ha way....more like the person who thinks they know it all but it's very obvious that they don't. Kind of like the person who has all the answers on how to raise kids and tells everyone else how it should be done....only problem is they don't have any kids.

 

[Lumenos]

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If this is how you bully your kids for asking a perfectly legitimate question, I pity them... and you.

Perhaps you would like to amend your statement that "raccoons can get anywhere", to say that raccoons can get anywhere that a chicken can get.

 

[Katy]

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If this is how you bully your kids for asking a perfectly legitimate question, I pity them... and you.

Perhaps you would like to amend your statement that "raccoons can get anywhere", to say that raccoons can get anywhere that a chicken can get.

Legit questions I don't have a problem with....I'll gladly answer a new person's questions and try and help them out. It's the asking a question or putting an idea out there and then when several people with lots of chicken experience tell you you're wasting your time and you continue to argue the point and demand proof of what they're saying works it seems rather like a troll to me.

If and when you ever get any chickens.....I wish them well, those poor birds are gonna need it.

 

[Lumenos]

Quote:
If this is how you bully your kids for asking a perfectly legitimate question, I pity them... and you.

Perhaps you would like to amend your statement that "raccoons can get anywhere", to say that raccoons can get anywhere that a chicken can get.

Legit questions I don't have a problem with....I'll gladly answer a new person's questions and try and help them out. It's the asking a question or putting an idea out there and then when several people with lots of chicken experience tell you you're wasting your time and you continue to argue the point and demand proof of what they're saying works it seems rather like a troll to me.

Thank you for responding in a civil manner.

In my perception, I was asking a question.

 

[smileybritches]

wow. 6 pages.