LEVEL 1 Passive Raccoon Deterrent System Initiated

[mdees88]

I posted this in the quail section but figure I would post here too. I kept quail for about 2 years without issue but then the coons figured out how to reach through wire floors and kill my birds.

So I added aluminum flashing to the legs of my pen and I'm hoping that will be enough to keep them from climbing up them. We shall see......

Has anyone tried something like this and had any luck? I do have a backup plan that should be foolproof.

 

[cavemanrich]

You can electrify the legs as well. You would need to place a ground plate, because your soil seems quite dry. A blast of High Volt Jules is very persuasive.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[mdees88]

You can electrify the legs as well. You would need to place a ground plate, because your soil seems quite dry. A blast of High Volt Jules is very persuasive.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

You read my mind. That is my backup plan.

I was planning on grounding the aluminum flashing. Then run a hot wire at the very top of each leg. This way if he manages to scale the flashing, he'll grab the hot wire to pull himself up, while half his body is grounded to the flashing. He won't like that much.....

But if I can stop him with the flashing alone I would rather do that.

 

[hayley3]

Coons can stretch so depends on if they can stretch that far. I put a bluebird house on a metal post once and then greased that thing with some kind of black grease, can't remember what it was now.

 

[nao57]

Well you have to be careful you don't make it so good, you fry your birds also.

A dog could work but has ongoing maintenance fees.

I hear imprinted gees are pretty good, but your neighbors will hate you.

And I'm sure someone's for sure going to put a picture of his gun up as a 'raccoon deterrant' also. XP

In southern California they wrap shiny plated metal sheeting like you did around palm trees to keep the rats out of the trees, particularly at night. And it does work. You see ALL the palm trees like this with the metal bands around them. They wouldn't do it if it didn't work. And a raccoon is just a larger rat than normal I suppose...but they are supposed to have pretty good climbing ability. They also have the ability to drop down from nearby taller structures with somewhat clever hunting skills.

But I'm not sure if you have to have the width of the sheet compare somewhat to the animals's body length or reach length? Hope that helps.

 

[mowin]

How close are those trees? Coon will climb the trees if limbs will allow access to the coop roof or walls.

 

[getaclue]

I use electric fencing. It took several days to get all the height adjustments, but now it's good to go. NOTHING gets in my fence.

 

[mdees88]

How close are those trees? Coon will climb the trees if limbs will allow access to the coop roof or walls.

I cut the limbs off the nearby trees. No branches will reach this cage but I do have a big tree leaning over my other lean-to/cage (the one with the white bark). I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. The only thing they could do is get on the roof of that cage. I'm fairly certain they wouldn't be able to climb down onto the cage from the metal roof if I add some flashing to the outside rafters.

 

[mowin]

I cut the limbs off the nearby trees. No branches will reach this cage but I do have a big tree leaning over my other lean-to/cage (the one with the white bark). I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. The only thing they could do is get on the roof of that cage. I'm fairly certain they wouldn't be able to climb down onto the cage from the metal roof if I add some flashing to the outside rafters.

If one can get on the roof, it can easily climb down the side to the underside of the coop. Some kind of rafter flashing might work. Coops look close enough that one could go from roof to roof easily. Good luck. As you know, coons are crafty and smart.

 

[getaclue]

If one can get on the roof, it can easily climb down the side to the underside of the coop. Some kind of rafter flashing might work. Coops look close enough that one could go from roof to roof easily. Good luck. As you know, coons are crafty and smart.

And persistent. It took me about a week with the electric fence to get it exactly right, even after the coons got shocked more than once. Once I got it perfected, and they could not find any way in without getting zapped, they finally stopped getting in, BUT even now, they still check it out to see if there is a vulnerability.