Ok Raccoon chicken / wire - Hardware cloth question

[kizanne]

I see many people who put hardware cloth on the sides of the run and chicken wire on the top.

If raccoon can rip through chicken wire wouldn't they just climb to the top of the run tear through the wire and then 'drop' in?

Is there something in their behavior that only tests the sides of the cage?

 

[FireTigeris]

Some of those people have a secure building to close the chickens in at night-
My whole run is wood and hardware cloth.

See below

 

[fried green eggs]

Many people lock chickens in a secure coop at night. The chicken wire on top will protect chickens from flying day time predators. Hardware cloth on bottom to protect from dogs etc during the day. If you want to leave coop open at night ? You will need Woven wire 2" x 4" with chicken wire on the whole run + 2' buried hardware cloth all the way around coop & run.

 

[joncro55]

2" x 4" seems to be the correct and most popular size, but what alloy is best? I would think stainless steel to avoid the mesh from getting rusted (good list of alloys seen here: http://www.bwire.com/ ) but thats just my opinion.

I am glad you pointed out that everyone here should bury the end of this mesh at least 2 feet underground. Makes for a little bit tough installation, but well worth it when you realize no burrowing predator will stand a chance of getting into the coop. This is extremely important.

 

[teabaglady]

We are in the process of "raccoon-proofing" our coop, if that is indeed possible. Our problem is that the inside portion of the coop is a stall in the barn - and the barn is not closed up at night. So I need wire for this part of the coop that is as close to impossible for a predator to get through as I can get. A raccoon or fisher pulled the existing chicken wire out last week and killed all but one of our flock. So we are looking at 1/2" hardware cloth this time - something small enough to prevent raccoon "hands" from reaching through.

Our question is about how heavy the wire needs to be. What I have found locally is 19 guage. Is this sturdy enough to keep raccoons and other predators from pulling it down, knowing that this has to protect the chickens during the dangerous night hours? Or is this a pointless endeavour...should we look at enclosing the coop completely in wood?

 

[bruceha2000]

19 gauge seems to be standard for 1/2" x 1/2" hardware cloth.

The stall I just finished converting already had 2x4 welded wire over 2/3rds of the open wall area above the plywood as did the door. The other 1/3rd was chicken wire. Nothing overhead so a critter could conceivably climb up the side and go through between the joists above. I figured I was good if I just took care of the part that didn't already have wire coverage. But reading BYC got me nervous enough that I put 1/2 hardware cloth over the entire ceiling and down all the open areas a few inches below the top of the plywood and on the door. It is nailed in with poultry staples and the plywood is screwed to the 2x4 stud walls. I also put it in front of the stall, slipping it under the horse mats inside. I am making the rash assumption that if something starts far enough from the wall to dig under the wire, it won't dig up through the heavy mat.

Make sure you understand that "poultry staples" are NOT the same as "staple gun staples". The former is a very heavy gauge U shaped nail, the latter should NOT be used except to tack up the wire prior to securing it with wood strips screwed through the wire.

Bruce

 

[canesisters]

I always just assumed that whenever chicken wire was used for the 'roof' of a run, it was for flying predator deterrent and that there was a secondary form of protection to the hardware cloth sides - like electric wire.

 

[teabaglady]

We are planning to use small fence staples. I assume these are at least as sturdy as poultry staples? I've never heard of the latter, being a novice in the chicken world!

I am getting the feeling that the 1/2" wire in 19 guage is not considered as secure as 2x4 welded wire... But the larger holes will allow a raccoon to reach in, which they have been known to do, killing chickens from outside the coop. I could really use some specific recommendations for the wiring material. Coop building plans just don't seem to address the issue of predator-proofing. And what about weasels? Can't they get through a 2x4" hole?

 

[FireTigeris]

And what about weasels? Can't they get through a 2x4" hole? - yes and snakes and rats...

I have 1/2' hardware cloth all over- it is fine. I have runs of 12 feet at a time w/o cross support.




The pitbull and greyhound have bounced off at full speed (well full pitbull speed, half speed for the hound) and there was no damage to the cloth.

 

[baldessariclan]

I don't think that raccoons can necessarily "rip through" chicken wire. However, they certainly can reach through it w/ an arm to grab any chicken that strays too close -- usually w/ unpleasant results. I suspect that more often they find a loose corner or other poorly secured spot in the wiring that they can pull up or otherwise distort enough that they can reach or get in.

The beauty of hardware cloth (w/ 1/2" squares) is that, properly secured, not only will it foil raccoons from reaching in, but will also keep out smaller vermin like rats and even mice! About the only critters that can get through are flies and other bugs, period. The key is to properly secure it around all edges and make sure you have no other gaps in your structure much bigger than a 1/4 inch or so. More work and $$$ initially, but you'll rest a lot easier in the long run...