Peafowl Housing Question

[KsKingBee]

By looking at your run, I take it you don't have any predators to worry about.

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

By looking at your run, I take it you don't have any predators to worry about.

We do but their run is inside a large run that has hardware cloth going 18" underground so therefore the run doesn't need too much other than keep them contained and the aerial predators out.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

A racoon can rip hardware cloth like a cotton sheet.

 

[MinxFox]

Yes and raccoons can definitely kill mature peafowl - even large peacocks.
I have photo evidence.

Here I worry the most about raccoons. Once this new pen is finished I will try and hot wire everything. I was putting that off for when this pen is done. I think for me the best raccoon preventative would be the hot wire. A good dog would be helpful too I am sure, but we don't have an outdoor dog and can't keep one where I keep the birds.

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

A racoon can rip hardware cloth like a cotton sheet.

ours has extra small holes and they have never ever gotten it open heck the cage we trap them with is made out of it I would bet money no raccoon could get that stuff broken open.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

A 25 Lb sow racoon can tear up hardware cloth very easily,,thats why all our traps are lined with 1/2"x1" welded wire. They can al;so do a pretty good job on 2"chain link fence. Just say'in it can happen.

 

[KsKingBee]

A 25 Lb sow racoon can tear up hardware cloth very easily,,thats why all our traps are lined with 1/2"x1" welded wire. They can al;so do a pretty good job on 2"chain link fence. Just say'in it can happen.

I had to patch a Havaheart trap more than once after a coon tore it's way out of it. Saw a video not long ago of a coon chasing a coyote, had no idea how fast the can be.

 

[Ramblin Rooster]

A 25 Lb sow racoon can tear up hardware cloth very easily,,thats why all our traps are lined with 1/2"x1" welded wire. They can al;so do a pretty good job on 2"chain link fence. Just say'in it can happen.

I had to patch a Havaheart trap more than once after a coon tore it's way out of it.  Saw a video not long ago of a coon chasing a coyote, had no idea how fast the can be.

Ours have been fine, and anyways they are in safe night pens at night. Daytime they are very safe so thats the goal.

 

[Garden Peas]

I had to patch a Havaheart trap more than once after a coon tore it's way out of it.  Saw a video not long ago of a coon chasing a coyote, had no idea how fast the can be.

Once had a raccoon climb INSIDE an uncovered dog pen and take on a pair of dogs (1@ 70 lb, 1@ 90 lb) to get to their dog food. Fast, vicious and smart. And they hunt in pairs. Makes me wonder what a wolverine is like. Or a badger. We have badgers here, but they've never bothered anything. I've looked at some dead ones by the road, and they appear to be equipped with a handful of ginsu knives on each paw.
Now I know why people hunted critters with packs of dogs... any one of those animals could seriously hurt even a big, tough hunting dog. A pea that couldn't roost high would never stand a chance

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Several years ago the farm fields had water standing in the low spots due to many heavy rains that spring. We decided to go ahead and start planting corn anyway and come back when the low spots water was gone and the dirt was dry enough to work and plant. My boss had a powertful male German Shepherd that alwasy went to the field with us. That day a very large racoon came out of the ditch and the German shepherd say him and naturally took pursuit They scuffled a few minutes then the racoon took off running towards the standing water which was about 1' deep. I happened to be very close with the tractor and stopped only to then watch the racoon get on top of the dogs head,trying to drown him. After about the second time I got out of the cab and grabbed a 1/2" drive breaker bar about 2' long from the toolbox and ran in the water to save the dog. I know one more dunk and the dog would have been a gonner.Coons are smart for sure and if anyone thinks hardware cloth is tough,this myth can easily be dispelled by clamping a small piece in a table vise,then putting a screwdriver thru one of the square holes and start pulling.It will rip like an old sock Even a razor knife can easily cut thru it.