Racoon control

carolinacindy

In the Brooder
11 Years
Oct 24, 2008
25
0
22
Elizabeth City
roll.png
I am not currently working and can't afford the hardware wire that soooo many say to put around their pens. Can you think of anything else that could serve the same purpose as the hardware cloth? I also was wondering what I could put around the 4 by 4 poles that they can climb up on. Any info will be appreciated.

CIndy:/
rant.gif
:idunno
 
Do you have an electric fence energizer? Electricity works wonderfully, but it's like $50 for a box so if you don't already have one it's going to be more expensive than hardware cloth.
 
I'd wait until I can afford it, if I were you. When you get chickens, you need to make them as secure a home as possible, especially at night. Even if you plan to free range all day, you have to keep them safe at night. And even if you plan to free range, your predator load might make it difficult.

Have you tried Craig's list or LSN for used supplies? What about bartering? Junk yards?

I don't know what's less expensive: hardware cloth or 2x4 inch welded wire. But both would work. I have 3 dog kennels attached to each other consecutively, with that netting over the top. However, I have large noisy dogs and have been much luckier than my neighbors as a result. the problem with the dog kennels is that a raccoon can get his arm in there and grab a chicken, but my chickens sleep in the henhouse. Same for 2x4 inch welded wire. It kind of depends on your setup. I've never worked with hardware cloth, but IIRC it's smaller and more difficult for a raccoon to sqeeze his arm through. Just giving you ideas...

I don't know what you would do about them climbing up the 4x4s. They climb up everything. You just have to make sure that whereever they're climbing, they're not getting in a weak area that they can sqeeze though.
 
sounds like an electric fence would be your best bet,hardware cloth works great but its expensive,And if you have a large run it would be costly ,you can run the electric fence up and down the poles,and around your run,
smile.png
 
Actually, try ebay for a fence box, if you dare.

I saw one of mine on there for $12 and I know it's a good one. I got mine free from my uncle who used to have cattle.

I get most of my fencing supplies (2x4 welded wire, T posts, gates, etc) from a salvage yard, but they never have hardware cloth. That is one thing I have to get from TSC. It's $13ish for a 2ft x 25ft roll, I think.
 
I do have an energizer and I'm going to buy some more wire tomorrow and hopefully put it together ( think it's supposed to rain).

I do have a large run.

Thank you for the reply.

Cindy
 
Quote:
Well if you lock them in the coop at night, that's less area that you have to raccoon proof. Just an idea to cut down on the cost. You could always beef up the run over time as you get the money.
 
2 strands of hot wire, the first 6" off the ground, the second one a bit higher. Old pieces of sheet metal tacked to the outsides of the wooden posts...racoons cannot climb it.

I also use sheet metal around the bottoms of the trees close to my pen and hen houses.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom