Keeping Raccoons out?? Is this enough??

[winniegirl]

My hardware cloth on the run is one foot up the sides (also "aprons" out 1 foot at bottom). Remaining sides and top are just chicken wire.

So, tell me, what's to stop a racoon from just going up the corner posts and ripping thru the chicken wire wherever he can reach it?????

We placed the hardware cloth just one foot up because that's what I read others had done and it seemed reasonable at the time. But I just keep wondering and worrying if that's enough...

Also, if I put hardware cloth on the top, then I'll start worrying about the snow/ice storms we get. I was able to chop off the ice this winter and the snow came thru easily with help, but it seems that hardware cloth would just trap it and act like a solid roof. THen the whole thing collapses---see what this chicken business leads to?? Just worry!!! EEEEK!!

thank you all!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

The other thing you could do is put some 2" x 4" woven wire fencing over the chicken wire. It's a lot stronger than chicken wire. It wouldn't trap the snow on the roof as much as hardware cloth, either.

Hang in there. There's a lot to do in the beginning, but once you get through that, it's pretty easy to have chickens. Then it's less building, less worry and more watching them out in the sunshine, having fun. Eventually, having chickens is relaxing.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Nothing at all, if the run doesn't have a top on it.

Some people feel if you make the top few feet of the fence floppy, ie. not attached to posts, it deters climbing... personally I think it is not wise to test that theory too much.

Also, if I put hardware cloth on the top, then I'll start worrying about the snow/ice storms we get.

You wouldn't probably want hardwarecloth on the top; 2x4 wire is good, it catches less snow than hardwarecloth but you would still want the supports (rafter-style) to be pretty decently engineered for whatever snow load you get. Not to mention the possible weight of raccoons

Or, you can leave the top open, lock them in the coop at night, and rely on there not happening to be any daytime predators climbing over your fence. Loose dogs are the commonest thing in most areas; while daytime raccoons, foxes etc DO occur probably everywhere those predators live, it is not *common* for them to hunt in daytime, so you can judge how you feel about the risk.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[skav2407]

I also buried my hardware cloth about a foot into the ground. When I went to fill the trench back in I back filled it with rusty nails and staples. I burn pallets in the winter and the staples and nails end up in the ash so I had a ready supply of them. I figured it might persuade animals not to try digging under the fence. You could probably do the same with broken glass, I'd imagine that would deter digging from just about anything.

 

[columbiacritter]

Quote:
I did the same thing and my husband said, "If we ever have to rip all that up You're doing it!" But so far I've discovered 2 attempts to dig under the fence and both have stopped when they hit the sharp nasties.