How to keep racoon out of chicken inclosure.

[macdoogle]

I'm planning on moving my six chickens into a new inclosure. I live in an urban area but on a canyon. We have racoons, skunks, possums, a pair of hawks in tall trees in the canyon and a coyote with a den 10 feet from my fence. My chickens are currently in the front yard. High wall on two sides, wire roof, fenced in and in a hen house at night. Problem is the run is kind of small and I want to give them a bigger area. My back yard's outer perimeter has alluminum, pool fencing, re-inforced with 2x3" wire fencing 10 feet high. Within the yard I'm putting the 2x3 inch wire fence. I plan on putting netting over the whole thing, about 20 feet by 30. I'm less worried about the coyote but I'm more worried about the racoon and the hawks. Is there a spacific kind of netting I should use to keep the racoons and hawks out?. There are lots on black birds and mocking birds around. Will they bother the chickens or drive the hawks away?. The chickens will be in a secure hen house at night. Please, nobody suggest I shoot anything. I've visited other postings and realize people have strong feelings about critters comming after their chickens. Personally, I feel that alot of these predators are keeping the rodent population at bay.

 

[centrarchid]

Just about any kind of netting will keep hawks out. Deer netting is what I use to exclude large birds. It does look a little tacky for use around a home. A 20' x 30' area might cost about $20 to cover which will likely need to be replaced annually. Racoons are going to be very hard to exclude from such a large area. The bird netting, unless you spend a lot more money, will simply provide racoon with a pleasant back scratch as he defeats your efforts. Most racoon activity is going to be at night so I would concentrate my racoon proofing around chicken roost area. Since you already have a secure hen house most worries are taken care of there. Song birds not a problem unless a vector for disease which does not normally concern me. The business of song birds (including crows) driving hawks away is over rated. Such activity is concentrated around breeding season of potential prey, i.e. birds you expect to mob hawk.

 

[woodmort]

Raccoons are strong, resourceful and persistent. Make sure all windows are secure with hardware cloth--not chicken wire as they can reach through it--on the outside of windows. Use heavy wire fence-type staples to secure the wire and, I suggest, molding along the edges. Doors should be locked but do not use turn-buckle, hook and eye or slide bolt locks as coons can manipulate these and get them open. The best is a hasp lock with some sort of padlock or, at the least, a clip lock. As above, coons normally are a nighttime predator so you should make sure your birds are secured from dusk to dawn.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

AWW I wanted to say shoot it till I read deeper into your post. I like to change my clasps out every so often just incase the coon/coons are getting close to figuring it out there very smart and witty. Coons are very high on the rabies list there on my top 10 list of worse predators they are devourers and destroyers of livestock and have been known to kill lots of chick and chickens for sheer enjoyment GL in keeping the girls safe

 

[GoldenCometLover]

Hi woodmort! What is a "hasp lock"?

I am expanding my chicken run and will be adding a screen door (covered in 1/2 hardware cloth of course) and thought a coulpe hook & eyes were good enough, but I do know raccoons are crafty little buggers and can be quite persistant...

 

[sourland]

It sounds as if electric fencing would be the solution to all potential problems.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

It sounds as if electric fencing would be the solution to all potential problems.

There's the answer to the coon problem.
Most any type of netting will keep the hawks out​

 

[woodmort]

A hasp lock with padlock. This particular one the hasp turns for double protection.