Raccoon attack

[lissyann84]

So were they in the house or the pen. I just put mine away and I'm not kidding when I say I pray for their safety nightly.

I do not mean to hi jack this thread, but there has to be a way to protect these guys. I'm so hesitant about electric fencing because of my dogs. Is there a way to just have it on at night? The run itself is hardware cloth from top to bottom, heavy duty netting on top, and hardware cloth 2 feet on ground almost all the way around. One area I shoved it in there because a fence is up against it.

Here is my duck house. On the top openings there is hardware cloth but I'm thinking of putting metal vents bolted on. Will that be enough air flow? The other side has the same thing but it's up against the coop(I looked at that just now too--thinking about adding another door to the existing door there) these raccoons are making me really nervous.

View attachment 1491624

They were in their house when it happened which has a couple openings but not big enough that we thought would cause a problem lesseon learned I guess . And I think the electric fence can be turned off and on to only use at night. That duck house looks very nice.

 

[bruceha2000]

I wouldn't worry about the dogs and hot wire. They will give it wide berth once they have touched it. I can testify that it only hurts a short while

You could put the electric fence charger on a timer but understand that coons do not hunt only at night. And they are EXCELLENT climbers. But if they hit a hot wire a couple of feet up the fence, they won't likely try again. But you do need to make sure there aren't any trees overhanging the run.

The hardware cloth should keep the coons out but just as a caveat (because it seems so many people don't know this) DO NOT use Arrow staple gun type staples other than for positioning, they will pull right out. Use poultry/fence staples or screws and washers.

 

[lissyann84]

I wouldn't worry about the dogs and hot wire. They will give it wide berth once they have touched it. I can testify that it only hurts a short while

You could put the electric fence charger on a timer but understand that coons do not hunt only at night. And they are EXCELLENT climbers. But if they hit a hot wire a couple of feet up the fence, they won't likely try again. But you do need to make sure there aren't any trees overhanging the run.

The hardware cloth should keep the coons out but just as a caveat (because it seems so many people don't know this) DO NOT use Arrow staple gun type staples other than for positioning, they will pull right out. Use poultry/fence staples or screws and washers.

We have lots of trees surrounding the back of the coop and one in front so it looks like our option will be the hardware cloth

 

[llombardo]

They were in their house when it happened which has a couple openings but not big enough that we thought would cause a problem lesseon learned I guess . And I think the electric fence can be turned off and on to only use at night. That duck house looks very nice.

This scares me because I think the openings I have are big enough. Is there hardware cloth over your openings?

Menards is closed now, otherwise I would be there right now getting the vents.

What Hot wire is recommended? Something simple but effective. I do have tons of trees that are there but we cut any branches in the area we thought would be an issue.

 

[lissyann84]

This scares me because I think the openings I have are big enough. Is there hardware cloth over your openings?

Menards is closed now, otherwise I would be there right now getting the vents.

What Hot wire is recommended? Something simple but effective. I do have tons of trees that are there but we cut any branches in the area we thought would be an issue.

No we did not have hardware cloth covering our openings. We also have a lot of trees so I don't know if the wire would be an option but we will definitely be going to get some hardware cloth. On our chicken coop however we have chicken coop wire covering all openings which is where our ducks are at now.

 

[bruceha2000]

We have lots of trees surrounding the back of the coop and one in front so it looks like our option will be the hardware cloth

You can cover the top of the run with 2x4 welded wire fencing. Cheaper and stronger than hardware cloth and the holes are too small for a coon. A small weasel could get in though but they are usually "night time while the birds are roosting" predators so if the coop is hardware cloth secured, the birds should be safe.

Pretty much any hot wire charger you can get at TSC or elsewhere will be fine for such a small area. Some like solid wire, some like the braided stuff. The latter is easier to see, might be a good option since you would be putting it where people will be frequently present. Don't forget to warn them it is there though. You can get signs to hang on the wire. Hot wire is very easy to install, you need insulators to hold it off the fence and a ground rod. There is special insulated wire (solid core) for running the ground wire from the charger to the ground rod. Different insulated wire (stranded) to go from the charger to the fence. If you don't have power at the coop, there are solar powered chargers with batteries.

 

[llombardo]

No we did not have hardware cloth covering our openings. We also have a lot of trees so I don't know if the wire would be an option but we will definitely be going to get some hardware cloth. On our chicken coop however we have chicken coop wire covering all openings which is where our ducks are at now.

If your talking chicken wire as in chicken wire, raccoons can easily get through that. If the ducks are outside, those raccoons are coming back. I don't mean to scare you, but I fear for the ducks.

The store by me was open so I flew over there and picked up the vents. I crawled in that dam house and put them up. The ducks stayed in there with me and we're looking at me like I was crazy. Duck poop everywhere and the whole time I was cursing raccoons.

 

[llombardo]

You can cover the top of the run with 2x4 welded wire fencing. Cheaper and stronger than hardware cloth and the holes are too small for a coon. A small weasel could get in though but they are usually "night time while the birds are roosting" predators so if the coop is hardware cloth secured, the birds should be safe.

Pretty much any hot wire charger you can get at TSC or elsewhere will be fine for such a small area. Some like solid wire, some like the braided stuff. The latter is easier to see, might be a good option since you would be putting it where people will be frequently present. Don't forget to warn them it is there though. You can get signs to hang on the wire. Hot wire is very easy to install, you need insulators to hold it off the fence and a ground rod. There is special insulated wire (solid core) for running the ground wire from the charger to the ground rod. Different insulated wire (stranded) to go from the charger to the fence. If you don't have power at the coop, there are solar powered chargers with batteries.

Is there slightly smaller welded fencing that can be used for the top? I need something that will let snow through without caving, but no birds. I want no birds in there.

 

[llombardo]

You can cover the top of the run with 2x4 welded wire fencing. Cheaper and stronger than hardware cloth and the holes are too small for a coon. A small weasel could get in though but they are usually "night time while the birds are roosting" predators so if the coop is hardware cloth secured, the birds should be safe.

Pretty much any hot wire charger you can get at TSC or elsewhere will be fine for such a small area. Some like solid wire, some like the braided stuff. The latter is easier to see, might be a good option since you would be putting it where people will be frequently present. Don't forget to warn them it is there though. You can get signs to hang on the wire. Hot wire is very easy to install, you need insulators to hold it off the fence and a ground rod. There is special insulated wire (solid core) for running the ground wire from the charger to the ground rod. Different insulated wire (stranded) to go from the charger to the fence. If you don't have power at the coop, there are solar powered chargers with batteries.

Is there slightly smaller welded fencing that can be used for the top? I need something that will let snow through without caving, but no birds. I want no birds in there.

 

[bruceha2000]

There are lots of wire fence sizes. This one is 1"x2" but only 2' wide by 25' long
https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Zone-432425-14-Gauge-Galvanized/dp/B000BX4V92
The smaller the openings the more support you will need to keep the snow from taking it down. Are you worried about song birds getting in the run or just raptors?

Another possibility that MIGHT be cheaper would be poultry wire over larger opening fencing. Coons can reach through poultry wire which is why it is important to have a couple of feet of something smaller at the bottom of the run since birds like to sleep next to the fence.