We have raccoon frequenting chicken run at night in search for food scraps (the run doubles as a compost pile). I don't like that proximity of raccoon to chickens (locked in the coop at night, but still) + possibility of decease transmission via food sharing or feces. I recon it is time to spend on fence charger and electric wire.
Our existing regular fence is
* 1' 1/2" hardware cloth skirt
* 2' of 1/2" hardware cloth over 2" welded wire at the bottom
* 3' of 2" welded wire only in the middle
* 4' of 2" chicken wire at the top
The top is crisscrossed with fishing line.
I figure the best way would be to run the hot wire near the top of hardware cloth - i.e. as high as possible from snow/grass but yet still below the lowest insecure area. Also easiest to attach (there is a horizontal wood stripping that connects hardware cloth and welded wire).
The plastic insulators i looked up on amazon would hold the wire may be 1" away from the fence. What would prevent raccoon to just step over that hot wire without touching it when scaling the fence?
Another option would be to run it over the top of the chicken wire part where there would a better of contact, but the tops of the posts are kind of flimsy at 9' and I would be able to get a good wire tension plus of possibility of being tripped by wind or snow plus would offer no protection from mink/squirrels as they would be getting through welded wire fence just above hardware cloth or coons tearing the chicken wire.
Any advice and ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Our existing regular fence is
* 1' 1/2" hardware cloth skirt
* 2' of 1/2" hardware cloth over 2" welded wire at the bottom
* 3' of 2" welded wire only in the middle
* 4' of 2" chicken wire at the top
The top is crisscrossed with fishing line.
I figure the best way would be to run the hot wire near the top of hardware cloth - i.e. as high as possible from snow/grass but yet still below the lowest insecure area. Also easiest to attach (there is a horizontal wood stripping that connects hardware cloth and welded wire).
The plastic insulators i looked up on amazon would hold the wire may be 1" away from the fence. What would prevent raccoon to just step over that hot wire without touching it when scaling the fence?
Another option would be to run it over the top of the chicken wire part where there would a better of contact, but the tops of the posts are kind of flimsy at 9' and I would be able to get a good wire tension plus of possibility of being tripped by wind or snow plus would offer no protection from mink/squirrels as they would be getting through welded wire fence just above hardware cloth or coons tearing the chicken wire.
Any advice and ideas will be greatly appreciated.
Very nice!
