Raccoons.. what's the standard MO?

[ChixPix]

Hi! New here!

We're building our coop/run right now. It's approximately 16x16 with an 8x8 coop in the corner.

I'm getting ready to buy some netting to go over the run as we do have hawks in our area, but my bigger concern is racoons. What is their normal plan of attack? Digging under? I've heard of them reaching right through the chicken wire and grabbing... or well, they're racoons, they can just climb over the fence if they want. (I'm looking at deer netting for the top).

do they ever climb over the fence?


Don't even get me started on the stupid raccoons that moved in under my house 2 years ago! (nighmare)

 

[herefordlovinglady]

coons, climb, dig under, go over slip through, they are just as agile as a cat. so anything you can do to make the holes in wire small enough cover the top and secure the bottom. nothing would be too much. good luck.

 

[silkiechicken]

They can dig under the coop, pull plain chicken wire off the coop, chew though plain chicken wire, go over the top and pull seams off the top reach though anything smaller than 1x1 inches, and open simple latches/doorknobs.

 

[Kittymomma]

Run a couple of strands of electric around the outside of your coop/run. Electric done right will work on most critters that you may have problems with, it's great stuff!

 

[ChixPix]

holy cow. I didn't know they could chew through chicken wire. UGH. I was thinking of covering the bottom couple feet of chicken wire with hardware cloth, then the cloth is folded (like an L) with the bottom part coming out a foot or two around the run. I thought this might stay off digging of most creatures.

I have enough chicken wire, do you think doubling it up would be enough?

I'm thinking now maybe deer netting might not be enough for the roof over the run.

We already call this thing the Chicken Fortress as it's made of the heaviest 2x6's on the planet, and anchored into concrete. if a tornado comes, I'm going to the chicken coop!

 

[Stonerowfarm]

I had a coon attack last year, while I was out at the tractor. She climbed over the fence and pulled up the deer netting. The interesting part was that it appears that she watched my activity enough to know when they were vulnerable and attacked in the late afternoon before I closed the hens in. If you have coons, you have to make it Fort Knox. I don't think doubling the chicken wire will help, just take it a little longer to get in.

 

[RonB]

kittymomma is right. ELECTRIC wire is the answer. I have coyotes,raccoons and bobcats. On my run I have a strand of electric wire 10 " from the ground, a strand 6" from the top and one in the middle of them. Make sure you get a good charger !!!!!!!! One that says for 15 miles or more. The only time I have lost a chicken is when they have been free ranging