Ok Raccoon chicken / wire - Hardware cloth question

[ceramic cat]

Yeah, learned the hard way several years ago, after many unpleasant morning discoveries. Hardware cloth it is! All around, even where coop meets fence. Used to have chicken fence:

1) Chickens are unusually stupid at night, and several lost their heads because they did not back away from the raccoon hand reaching through the fence;
2) Hardware cloth is a lot stiffer and resists pushing and pulling.

Raccoons here are the size of dogs and plentiful. Haven't had a loss since.

 

[Greyfox Farm]

Oh, I beg to differ. I saw a raccoon pulling and breaking 1/2 x 1/2 19 guage hardware cloth...have the 4x4 inch hole to prove it. Oh, and 5 fewer chickens.

And THIS is why I keep a DP trap set pretty much constantly in the woods behind the coop. Never underestimate the strength, persistence and intelligence of predators.

 

[bruceha2000]

1) Chickens are unusually stupid at night, and several lost their heads because they did not back away from the raccoon hand reaching through the fence;

I don't think it is because they are stupid, from what I read they are basically blind at night. Can't see the predator reaching through!

 

[jendodd79]

Yep! They sure will do that and I can attest to that by experience. Our original coop was just built with chicken wire on the top and they ripped right though.

 

[ceramic cat]

I don't think it is because they are stupid, from what I read they are basically blind at night. Can't see the predator reaching through!

Well, far be it from me to malign chicken intelligence, but do they also not smell or hear at night? With all my birds-- chicken and otherwise-- I wait until nightfall to do stuff they don't like (moving, lice powder, meds...). They clearly know I'm there, and though they do protest softly, they don't put up nearly the fight they would during the day!

But I do love all of my animals dearly, and perhaps "stupid" was the wrong word to use... Would you accept "more vulnerable"?

 

[joncro55]

Could not agree more that hardware cloth is 100 times better than chicken wire.

The chicken wire is so flimsy its almost usleless, which hardware cloth like they sell here - ( http://www.bwire.com/index.html - Galvanized or Stainless Steel) is tough for a small animal to move and tip/tear through.

Hardware cloth is sturdy like a wall with holes in it. Will not flex, will not weaken over time.

 

[FireTigeris]

Well, far be it from me to malign chicken intelligence, but do they also not smell or hear at night? With all my birds-- chicken and otherwise-- I wait until nightfall to do stuff they don't like (moving, lice powder, meds...). They clearly know I'm there, and though they do protest softly, they don't put up nearly the fight they would during the day!

But I do love all of my animals dearly, and perhaps "stupid" was the wrong word to use... Would you accept "more vulnerable"?

Many birds don't sense smell in a useful way, the ones that do can sense smell really -really well.
It has to do with conservation of grey matter, all they need programmed in as instinct + whatever they can learn.
All birds seem to have fairly able ears. But if you hear something you can't see or smell- then what? DO you sit still, go to cover, or run seek higher ground? (run/ go up/ panic- "slow" ground attacker (dog, coon, human), sit still- unknown attacker, run to low cover- fast air attacker like a hawk)

Also some animals have to 'turn off' some or all of their conscious/awake brain (some can do it half at a time) or suffer from impaired function at a later time.

 

[ceramic cat]

Thank you for the insight!

 

[Dutchgirl]

I know that 1/2 by 1/2 cage wire exists and I am trying to find it. Lowes just discontinued it in 24 inches, but has a roll in 30 inches where I am. Next, I'm looking online. This is not hardware cloth.

 

[Chickylove12]

Oh, I beg to differ. I saw a raccoon pulling and breaking 1/2 x 1/2 19 guage hardware cloth...have the 4x4 inch hole to prove it. Oh, and 5 fewer chickens.

What type of fencing do u use now?