Need Cover Idea For Large Run

[patandchickens]

There are sort of 2 different issues w/covering the pens: hawks, and raccoons. Hawks will be kept out by the twine-type netting you mention, or a lot of people here feel they are pretty successful just by stringing twine back and forth and back and forth above the enclosure (with or without CDs on the twine).

Raccoons however will just climb your fence and go straight thru that sort of thing and have chicken for dinner

So, what are your raccoonproofing plans?

As far as the pen floors, is it possible to just trench around the problem pen so the water does not flow *thru* it?

Good luck,

Pat

 

[hsm5grls]

I bought the plastic netting from Lowes and ran 2x4's every 8 ft across the top of my run stapled the netting to the 2x4's and wired them together where needed. It was cheap and has worked well for keeping the hawks out. They sit on it but can't get in. Here is a pic of the hawk sitting on it and another pic so you can see the 2x4's.

 

[StoneBridge Farm]

Racoons..Hmm. Well I had planned on closing the coop up at night. I hadn't thought of daytime attacks, other than flying ones... I am still trying to think of how to do the top. Does anyone know of cheap hooping? Or would wood framing be better?

As for the treching... already done. There are active springs under the ground. The previous owners have routed them with underground tubing. I believe the problem with water may be a clogged tube. We will be snaking as soon as it warms up a bit. We have 2" of snow this am.!!!!
Lori

 

[patandchickens]

ok, if you are going to close them in at night you should be pretty safe. Not that raccoons won't sometimes hunt before dusk esp. with babies or if there are a whole lot of raccoons around, but, you know, nothing in life is ever 100% safe. Closing them in seems quite sensible.

Pat

 

[Cocky]

My uncle is a commercial shark fisherman, and I used some of his older nylon netting....it has worked well, I imagine you could probably find some other kind of fishing net that would work well.

 

[StoneBridge Farm]

Thanks for all of the suggestions! It has really helped!
Lori