How to Racoon + Rat + Snake proof run?

[HeidiEmbrey]

Hi, I'm trying to research what gauge, material, and spacing, wire I need to protect my run from predators here (racoons, cats, possums, hawks, snakes, owls, rats, mice) here (city)..

19 gauge 1/2 inch wire mesh=hardware cloth, is the general recomendation I'm getting but is that really small and strong enough? A few people have told me its not small enough, but I know the 1/4 inch the racoons can chew through it.. and now I'm reading racoons can chew though 1/2 inch too!!!

Whatever I uset it also has got to be rust proof. Everything rusts here in Florida from the weather and the salt, so is stainless steel my only option? I can't use anything PVC coated or toxic, they leach into the soil and I'm organic. Should I use two layers of wire because of my different predators? I know I need to bury it 2 feet and I'm going to dig a moat around it and bury broken glass to deter the diggers .. I know no gaps more than 1/4 inch..something about using steel wool to block any gaps but not sure what that was about.. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much

 

[Molpet]

I have a cattle panel hoop coop covered in 1/2 hardware cloth covered by 2x4 fencing.

The 1/2"HC keeps the weasels and snakes out.. the 2"x4" is incase the coons or coyotes could tear the hc up.
The poultry yard is 2x4 six ft tall and portable electric netting.. no top
A hawk has attacked 2 chickens in the last 9 days, so I need to make a enclosed run now.

 

[cavemanrich]

The galvanized 19 ga. hardware cloth should be sufficient for most predators. Raccoons in theory can chew thru hardware cloth. They will if trapped in a cage and need to escape. I doubt VERY MUCH that they would go to that much effort to get into your coop/run. Raccoons will just try to reach into, thru whatever they can get their paw thru and grab their prey. They will of course try to get in thru port doors and gates. They are dexterous.
Mice.......... Well you are going to have a difficult time with those. (next to impossible). On the good side, they are not that dangerous. Deal with rats in whatever fashion you can. They can get in where you least expect. Control their numbers in preventive ways.
Burying the fabric to prevent digging is good idea. Many here that do it, choose slightly different approach. They bury not 2 feet deep, but rather 2 feet of fabric , outward from run , maybe 6 inches deep. A digging animal starts to dig close to the fence as possible, and encounters a barrier quite quick.
A moat will not stop many predators. Burying broken glass I advise against. First, It is cruel to inflict injury upon a creature that is only trying to get a meal. (maybe I'm SOFT). The broken glass can actually cause you harm in the future or someone else from your family. Broken glass will not act as a deterrent. Animal IQ is less them human.
Stainless steel netting is GREAT, but it is near the price of GOLD. If your budget can swing it, then go for it.
WISHING YOU BEST.

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

I have a cattle panel hoop coop covered in 1/2 hardware cloth covered by 2x4 fencing.

The 1/2"HC keeps the weasels and snakes out.. the 2"x4" is incase the coons or coyotes could tear the hc up.
The poultry yard is 2x4 six ft tall and portable electric netting.. no top
A hawk has attacked 2 chickens in the last 9 days, so I need to make a enclosed run now.

I think that is what I'm going to have to do..double up..uggg bah bleh..why cant they just make a higher guage hardware cloth? 1/3 inch spacing, stainless steal, 16 gauge=is what I want/need! lol I don't think they make that, whyyy? .. I know mine has to be enclosed..Thanks so much! Where did you get your wire?

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

The galvanized 19 ga. hardware cloth should be sufficient for most predators. Raccoons in theory can chew thru hardware cloth. They will if trapped in a cage and need to escape. I doubt VERY MUCH that they would go to that much effort to get into your coop/run. Raccoons will just try to reach into, thru whatever they can get their paw thru and grab their prey. They will of course try to get in thru port doors and gates. They are dexterous.
Mice.......... Well you are going to have a difficult time with those. (next to impossible). On the good side, they are not that dangerous. Deal with rats in whatever fashion you can. They can get in where you least expect. Control their numbers in preventive ways.
Burying the fabric to prevent digging is good idea. Many here that do it, choose slightly different approach. They bury not 2 feet deep, but rather 2 feet of fabric , outward from run , maybe 6 inches deep. A digging animal starts to dig close to the fence as possible, and encounters a barrier quite quick.
A moat will not stop many predators. Burying broken glass I advise against. First, It is cruel to inflict injury upon a creature that is only trying to get a meal. (maybe I'm SOFT). The broken glass can actually cause you harm in the future or someone else from your family. Broken glass will not act as a deterrent. Animal IQ is less them human.
Stainless steel netting is GREAT, but it is near the price of GOLD. If your budget can swing it, then go for it.
WISHING YOU BEST.

Thanks so much! I'll have to price it out but it might be worth it just to prevent the rust at least on the hardware cloth if it's 2 or 3 times more expensive still could be worth it not to have to rebuild over and over? I worry about rust weakening it as well.. Do you use the same hardware cloth and if so can you please tell me how long it has lasted without rusting? Thanks again

 

[Molpet]

I bought the 2x4" x6' field fencing at "farm and fleet" and "Big R" they have it on sale every so often
The hardware cloth is cheaper online usually.. Amazon has it but the price bounces around from $60 something to $80 something .. so if it's high wait if you can .. right now it's $74 for a 4' x50' roll
Gilbert & Bennett
YARDGARD 308229B 48-Inch by 50-Foot 1/2-Inch Mesh Hardware Cloth
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product...sfl_title_15?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

[cavemanrich]

Do you use the same hardware cloth and if so can you please tell me how long it has lasted without rusting? Thanks again

I only used hardware cloth to secure windows and other openings on coop and loft. They do not get much wetness. Lasted for many years and still good. My run area is only fence protected. My run is not your standard chicken run. It is an area between the house and boundary fence that is closed off by gates. It is not sealed off. I have light tarps covering area to keep dry and protect from flying raptors. Predators can access it at night. I keep my coop secured at night for that reason. Always make sure I tuck the girls in at dusk. I have had mishaps when I did get to it too late.

 

[Molpet]

they do make a 16 gauge.. if you have deep pockets
http://www.wireclothman.com/shop.php?cPath=41

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

they do make a 16 gauge.. if you have deep pockets
http://www.wireclothman.com/shop.php?cPath=41

Doing the math and that cloth is about $100 per 100ft. more than the regular stuff..and I wouldn't have to double it up with the thicker gauge which would probably cost $100 plus the added labor ..wonder if it would be more or less effective against predators. Thank you so much for the link!

 

[HeidiEmbrey]

I only used hardware cloth to secure windows and other openings on coop and loft. They do not get much wetness. Lasted for many years and still good. My run area is only fence protected. My run is not your standard chicken run. It is an area between the house and boundary fence that is closed off by gates. It is not sealed off. I have light tarps covering area to keep dry and protect from flying raptors. Predators can access it at night. I keep my coop secured at night for that reason. Always make sure I tuck the girls in at dusk. I have had mishaps when I did get to it too late.

Everyone has mishaps, I'm hearing about all of them and I want to learn from you all so I can avoid some. Thank you and so sorry for you too. When I was a kid we had ducks in a chicken wire coop and a fox pulled one through..so I do not want that to happen again, and racoons are as big as great danes and insane here, all over the place..they roam the streets looking for trash cans, there is no way I could get them under control I'm sure though I do plan to get one of those have a heart traps and try! they can break into anything so i just want to make sure ..I plan to lock the chickens in the coop at night AND have the coop enclosed in the what I hope will be racoon proof run like a double layer of protection I hope. Wish me luck and good luck to you too !