Protecting against ground predators on an uncovered run. Ideas?

[cupman]

I am building a new coop and the only area I can has a bunch of trees over it and every year tons of leaves come down. I think a covered run would probably not work out so well so I think I'm going to avoid it. I don't have to fear hawks or coyotes too much but the raccoons are out there, I actually just disrupted a mid day attack a few days ago. Well, I was wondering about electric fencing and how well it really works. I was thinking of getting an automatic coop door and fortifying the actual house, but the run will be a little bit more exposed.

Does electric fencing work well against raccoons? If so do I put it near the bottom of my fence so it nails them when they begin to climb, or do I stick it somewhere more like the top. If electric fencing doesn't work the best what would you try? It seems like coons would have no problem climbing over barbed wire. Any ideas or feedback would be much appreciated.

 

[hensofhallora]

i feel the need to pass on what I know about electric fences even though i have never even seen a racoon. In australia we have a huge fox problem. they are very smart, very determined and they love chicken! I have a 3 acre (1.2 hectare) open area in which i run 450 hens. the whole area is surrounded by a 5 foot high mesh fence that has an electric wire around the bottom and around the top. In 5 years I have not lost a single hen to a fox. they HATE the electric fence and dont breach it.

 

[remuda1]

From what I've read, the electric fences work great against coons. However if the limbs of the trees on the outside of the run mesh with the limbs of the trees on the inside of the run, the raccoons will just climb a tree on the outside of the run and come down a tree on the inside of the run and in that way, will avoid the electric fence.

I think the best you can do is build a Fort Knox-like coop and make sure they are all in it at night. If your getting coons during the day, maybe trapping. I hope someone else can come up with some better suggestions for you. Good luck with it